2024 Two Hands Angel's Share Shiraz, McLaren Vale

Raised in French oak, 12% new, the residual second to eighth fill. A silky, milk-chocolate-toned palate, escorting typical black berries and plum, ripe raspberry and earthiness, some distant oak notes of vanilla, char and ginger biscuit. It’s suave in its way, polished, but not to homogeneity. Neatly balanced, up from mid-weight, a wine made by a skilled hand, with pleasure and value in the plus column. Drink 2025 to 2030.

91 points Marcus Ellis for Halliday Wine Companion, March 2026

Two Hands is a Barossa Valley based producer established in 1999 to showcase the diversity of Australian Shiraz and to highlight regional and vineyard characteristics by allowing the fruit to take centre stage. In addition to the three estate vineyards in the region, négociant fruit is also bought from long term grower partners within the greater Barossa, Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale and Clare Valley.

The estate vineyards are managed through numerous sustainable practices that include heavy mulching ahead of the growing season, sap flow monitored sparse irrigation and a resident flock of Scottish Highlander cows that turn grape must into good fertiliser.

Angel's Share refers to the small amount of wine that evaporates from oak barrels during maturation. This wine is from the 2024 vintage, a temperate season that required the patience to wait for the warmer days at the end to ripen red varieties into optimal ripeness. Fruit quality was excellent, the wines showing lifted aromatics, rich fruit flavours and supple tannin structures.

The crushed grapes were fermented in open top vessels, with frequent pump overs. Maturation over 12 months took place in a mix of primarily seasoned French oak hogsheads and puncheons.

The wine greets with aromas of sautéed dark fruit, coffee, chocolate and spice. The silky and polished palate is medium to full in feel, with red and black fruit and subtle biscuit-like notes from oak, and a velvet carpet of chocolate under it all. Balanced and drinking well on opening.

Indulge with beef and cocoa nib empanadas, duck confit in mole negro or Nagoya-style miso katsu.