2023 Samuel's Gorge Shiraz

If you have ever made the trek to Justin McNamee’s barn on the ridge, you know that Samuel’s Gorge marches to the beat of its own drum. His take on Shiraz has always been about texture and landscape rather than just raw power. It is a wine that feels like it belongs to the dirt it was grown in - rustic, earthy and full of personality.

The 2023 release is a real journey. It doesn't just hit you with fruit; it opens with evocative scents of sun-baked clay, dry wildflowers and warm earth. There is plenty of dark fruit there - blackberry, currants and bramble - but it is tangled up with savoury notes of pepperberry, woody herbs and briny olives.

On the palate, it finds a balance between that savoury ruggedness and a lush, fruit-driven core. There are hints of liquorice and the salty-sweet tang of the native pigface plant, all held together by fine, dusty tannins. It finishes long and dry, making it a brilliant match for braised beef short ribs or anything slow-cooked.