Style Profile at a Glance
| Attribute | Profile | Scale |
|---|---|---|
| Body | Medium-Bodied & Rhône-esque | ●●●●● |
| Tannins | Satiny, Powdery & Long | ●●●●● |
| Sweetness | Dry | ●●●●● |
| Acidity | Focused, Bright & Vibrant | ●●●●● |
| Fruit | Sweet Plums, Boysenberry & Tart Cherry | ●●●●● |
| Oak | Restrained French Oak (20% New) | ●●●●● |
Expert Tasting Notes & Estate Reputation
- 95 Points – James Suckling: "Dark fruited and spicy, with undertones of cured meat, black olives and herbs on the nose. The palate is well balanced, with firmly framed tannins and focused acidity that leads to a densely packed yet refined and pure fruit-driven finish with some lovely spicy, cool-climate shiraz flavors. A well-balanced wine that will age nicely. Drink or hold."
- 92 Points – Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2022 Shiraz is vibrant, spicy and lifted on the nose, with blackcurrant pastille, raspberry pip, sweet licorice and clove. In the mouth, the wine performs exactly thus, with gentle inflections of bone broth and crushed rocks. Mineral and fine and a little bloody. Good! 13.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap."
- A Cool-Climate Icon: Founded in 1989 by cousins Martin Shaw and Michael Hill Smith MW, Shaw + Smith is widely recognized as a pivotal force in establishing the Adelaide Hills as a premier region for elegant, modern winemaking. Rejecting the jammy, heavily oaked stereotypes of traditional Australian Shiraz, their estate bottling showcases how high-altitude slopes and sustainable farming yields a wine of immense fragrance, complexity, and global refinement.
Highlights
- Sourced from low-yielding, sustainably farmed estate vineyards across Balhannah and the central Adelaide Hills.
- Grown during a cool, La Niña-influenced growing season that produced small, flavor-packed grapes with excellent natural acidity levels.
- Matured for 10 months in large-format 500 to 600-liter French oak puncheons (only 20% new oak) to build texture while strictly preserving cool-climate spice.
Tasting Notes
- Appearance: Deep, vibrant purple-ruby with dark tints.
- Nose: Lifted, peppery, and highly aromatic, bursting with sweet plum, boysenberry, and blue florals, seamlessly layered with game meat, white pepper, black olive tapenade, and stalky wild herbs.
- Palate: Impeccably medium-bodied, plush yet remarkably fresh. Flavors of ripe dark fruits, cocoa nib, and pepper steak are framed by a focused line of acidity. The mid-palate has an elegant, satiny texture, with powdery tannins that trail long into a dry, savory finish.
Serving Suggestion
- Temperature: Serve at room temperature between 15–16°C. Keeping it slightly cool enhances the peppery, floral lift and keeps the palate athletic.
- Decanting: A brief 20-to-30 minute decant or opening the bottle slightly ahead of time helps the whole-bunch herbal and gamey components beautifully integrate. Highly cellarworthy with an aging potential of 10–12 years.
- Western Pairing: Complements roasted lamb shoulder with rosemary, pan-seared lamb backstrap, osso buco, or a pepper-crusted steak.
- Asian & Cantonese Pairing: The distinct white pepper and smoked meat characters in this cool-climate Shiraz match excellently with caramelized roasted meats and savory claypot dishes. It pairs flawlessly with 明炉燒鴨 (Roasted Duck), 黑椒鐵板牛肉 (Sizzling Beef in Black Pepper Sauce), or 柱侯牛腩煲 (Braised Beef Brisket and Tendon Pot).
You May Also Like
-
Pewsey Vale Vineyard Riesling 2025
Regular price HK$212Regular price -
Leeuwin Estate Art Series Riesling 2025
Regular price HK$235Regular price -
Giant Steps Chardonnay 2024
Regular price HK$216Regular price -
Shaw and Smith M3 Chardonnay Adelaide Hills Australia 2023
Regular price HK$295Regular price
