2024 Paxton MV Shiraz, McLaren Vale

A perennial value this, for both the quality and the foundation of exemplary biodynamic farming. Flavour deep – blackberry, raspberry, ground anise, vanilla and soft leather chocolate – yet more in the mid-weight arena, with gently persuasive tannins and a silky mid-palate. As said, fine value and a very good release. Drink 2025 to 2030.

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

David Paxton is one of McLaren Vale's most respected viticulturalists with a career built not on winemaking but on growing exceptional fruit. His vineyards have been certified organic and biodynamic since 2011.

Winemaker Ashleigh Seymour came to Paxton after a decade of immersion in biodynamic thinking in Italy. This influenced not just her view on farming but the way she approaches life and the rhythm of the seasons. Her approach is to guide the wine rather than direct: getting it right in the vineyard first, then keeping the wine under wraps as it finds its own way. It's a natural fit for a producer whose reputation was built on viticulture, long before it was built on winemaking.

The MV Shiraz draws on fruit from four of the six certified biodynamic estate properties, blended to give a well-rounded picture of what McLaren Vale Shiraz does well. Individual parcels are fermented separately and brought together before bottling, each having spent 12 months in French oak. The approach is consistent and honest: ripe fruit kept in good shape, oak in support rather than in charge.

Blackberry, fresh mulberry and cocoa on the nose, with a lift of wild fennel and star anise adding interest. The palate is medium to full-bodied, fruit-forward and approachable, with smooth tannins and enough structure to sit comfortably at the table.

A Tuesday night wine that punches above its weight. Grilled merguez sausages with harissa and flatbread, or a pasta with a slow-cooked pork and fennel ragù. The wine's dark fruit and spice are happy company for both.

Drink now through 2028.