2023 Stella Bella Shiraz, Margaret River

Most of the fruit comes off the estate’s Forest Grove vineyard, hand picked with 30% whole bunches, pressed after about eight days and aged eight months in French barriques (10% new). A gentle way to make this and the wine has turned out with a great deal of flavour yet subtlety, too. A beautiful deep red-purple. Rather peppery, with pops of cedary oak spices infusing with the dark fruit, and some dried herbs, too. The palate is fuller bodied, fleshy and ripe with supple, slightly silty, tannins. A lovely drink.

95 points Special Value Jane Faulkner winecompanion.com.au

Stella Bella, founded in 1996, has earned a strong reputation as one of Margaret River’s most quality-focused and innovative producers. The winery works with carefully selected vineyards across the cooler southern part of the region, where maritime breezes from the Indian and Southern Oceans create an extended ripening period. This allows Shiraz to develop intense flavour and aromatic complexity while maintaining freshness and finesse. Stella Bella’s winemaking philosophy focuses on small-batch fermentation, gentle extraction, and sensitive oak maturation to highlight the perfume, spice, and savoury depth that define Margaret River Shiraz.

The Stella Bella Shiraz is vibrant and expressive, showing a deep crimson-purple colour and a bouquet of ripe plum, blackberry, and cherry woven with lifted notes of violet, white pepper, and subtle dried herbs. On the palate, it offers a medium to full-bodied profile with juicy black and red fruits, hints of dark chocolate, and savoury spice, framed by fine, powdery tannins. Ageing in quality French oak barrels adds layers of cedar and clove while preserving the purity of the fruit. The finish is long and balanced, with a lingering touch of peppery freshness.

This Shiraz is a versatile partner for food, pairing beautifully with chargrilled lamb cutlets and rosemary, roast duck with plum sauce, beef tagine with prunes, or charred eggplant with tahini. It is delicious now for its vibrant fruit but will evolve gracefully over the next 8 to 10 years, gaining more savoury and earthy complexity.