2024 Maxwell GSM, McLaren Vale

A blend of 65/30/5% grenache/shiraz/mataro; 15 months in French oak. I probably mention it too often, but the quiet evolution at this address is impressive, and no more evident than in the grenache bottlings. This follows on stylistically from the ’23, if even a little more refined. Cherry, red and black, wild raspberry, strawberry, tart blackberry, some musk and rose, earth and baking spices, with a supple and finely structured medium-weight palate, the conclusion just so engagingly vibrant. The drinkability here is the thing – top quality fruit, picked at the right time and elaborated with deferential respect. Drink to 2032.

93 points & Special Value Marcus Ellis for Halliday Wine Companion, April 2026 

From the mild and largely trouble-free 2024 season, the fruit for this wine was sourced from several blocks in the Maxwell vineyard. The three varieties were harvested, fermented and matured individually, with the final blend compiled to be greater than the sums of its parts.

This is wine style that South Australian producers do extremely well. GSM wines are often extremely well priced, well-liked by most red wine drinkers and incredibly versatile when it comes to food. The Maxwell GSM offers rich fruit that doesn’t tip into sweetness, instead remaining bright and lively, with fruit neatly arranged across its medium-weight. Nice easy drinking here.

About this producer

Maxwell Wines is a McLaren Vale family business established in 1979 by Mark Maxwell and managed today by his son Jeremy Maxwell. The wines form a part of a larger offer that also includes their famous meads and a fine-dining restaurant.

Fruit is sourced from 40 hectares of estate vineyards as well as other growers in the region. The varieties grown include regional heroes like Grenache Noir, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon, but a with an increasingly wide selection of varieties originating in the southern reaches of Europe.