2025 Mayer Bloody Hill Villages Shiraz

Rivar Ferguson-Mayer is clearly his father’s son - same fearless approach in the winery, same instinct for texture and energy - but his own style is already coming through. This 2025 Villages Shiraz shows it perfectly: lifted, spicy and deliciously drinkable without being overtly herbal.

The fruit comes from ten-year-old vines in Coldstream, north-facing and planted to clone 1654. Rivar’s gone hard on the whole bunch this year - about half the ferment - and it shows in the perfume and fine, chalky tannins that give the wine its shape.

It’s light on its feet but full of flavour: dark cherry, blood orange, dried herbs and a little cured-meat savouriness. There’s grip, freshness, and just enough wildness to keep it interesting.

One of the best-value Yarra Syrahs on the market, and maybe the pick of the reds releases this year.

95 points
"Nicely perfumed with dark cherry, white and black pepper and light violet scents. Still quite tightly wound on the flavoursome, quite firmly structured palate."
- Philip Rich (Halliday Wine Companion)