2023 Shaw + Smith Balhannah Vineyard Shiraz

The 2023 season was the latest on record at Shaw + Smith - a proper cool-climate nail-biter that Adam Wadewitz and the team handled with total poise. While the rest of the country might have been looking for sun, this prized Balhannah site was busy building incredible detail. This isn't your typical big, bouncy Shiraz; it leans right into that Northern Rhone-style grit and grace.

There’s a dark, seductive power here that stays fresh and lithe. Expect plush black cherries and plums met with savoury hits of olive tapenade, graphite, and a bit of cracked pepper. A lick of cocoa and smoked meats adds weight, all wrapped up in a svelte, velvety texture that feels seriously high-end.

We’ve always rated Balhannah as the top of the tree for Hills Shiraz, and this '23 release is a standout. The acidity is bright and the tannins are supple enough to enjoy tonight, but there’s enough structure here to suggest it’ll be even better in ten years. It’s a compelling, detailed wine that shows exactly why Shaw + Smith remain the benchmarks.

96 points
"This is a wine of power and darkness and yet it remains elegant and, indeed, exquisite... This is an elite wine. It’s complex, it’s seductive, and it’s compelling."
- Campbell Mattinson