2024 Greenock Creek Alices Shiraz, Barossa Valley

Single-site shiraz from Seppeltsfield off slaty siltstone mixed with dark brown clays/loam, matured for 16 months in 75/25% American/French oak, 18% new. As you'd expect, concentration and fruit purity are off the charts with glossy blueberry, blackberry, black cherry and damson plum with hints of baking spices, dark chocolate-dipped cherries, raspberry coulis, blueberry pie, violets, licorice and dark chocolate. Full bodied, lush and opulent with clove and star anise joining in on the palate and a thick draw of concentrated fruit stretching itself out like a feline in the sun. Fine tannins and lacy acidity add to the package. A cracking release.

95+ points Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion

Alice’s is one of the long standing names in the Greenock Creek collection, an estate established by Michael and Annabelle Waugh in the 1980s and subsequently embraced by collectors for its uncompromising Barossa reds. Compared with some of the estate’s monumental single vineyard Shiraz releases, Alice’s has traditionally shown a more immediately approachable side of the Greenock Creek personality while retaining the concentration for which the producer is known.

The 2024 Barossa season delivered healthy fruit with good flavour concentration, and Shiraz was particularly successful across many sites. Here the emphasis is unmistakably Barossa, with ripe dark fruit and spice at the centre, yet there is enough freshness and savoury structure to keep everything in shape. It is generous without becoming cumbersome, making Alice’s an excellent introduction to the Greenock Creek style.

Deep crimson purple, with blackberry, black cherry and ripe plum pouring from the glass. Violet and liquorice follow, joined by cracked pepper, black olive, star anise and a little cocoa. There is plenty of fruit across the palate, but firm, ripe tannins provide definition. Blackberry and plum turn increasingly savoury through the middle, with olive, pepper and dark chocolate lingering on the finish.

Sticky Korean beef ribs with sesame and spring onion would have no trouble keeping up, while lamb cutlets with rosemary, charred pork belly, beef and black pepper noodles or smoky eggplant with miso would also hit the mark. Our pick is the beef ribs. Sweet char, salty glaze and juicy Shiraz is not a complicated equation, but it is a very good one.

Cellaring: Drink now to 2038.