2021 Shaw & Smith Balhannah Vineyard Shiraz

97 POINTS

Ned Goodwin MW

A scintillating nose of mace, clove, blue-fruit persuasions, lilac, pepper-dried salumi, fennel seed and kelp, akin to nori of the sort found at Tokyo's arsenal of exceptional sushi counters. On the slightly richer side of mid-weighted. Yet, the slippery skein of tannin is so immaculately placed that there is neither heat nor an ounce of sloppy, sweet fruit. Everything is compressed into a polished bone of tension and savory refinement. The acidity is saline and lathered with tapenade. More of a syrah from an external perspective. An irrefutably brilliant one. I wish I had more to cellar, given the wine's noble stature. A ringer for refined Cornas, if not an oxymoron

96 POINTS

Huon Hooke - The Real Review

Sweetly vegetal/spicy/floral, whole-bunchy aromas greet the nose immediately—very classy cool-grown shiraz aromas which glide effortlessly into an elegantly structured but tremendously intense palate. An array of dried herb nuances includes oregano, sage, thyme and just a slight whiff of pepper. Gorgeous syrah-style shiraz.

95 POINTS

Campbell Mattinson - The Wine Front

Shiraz from a north-facing site at 380m at Balhannah in the Adelaide Hills. The pitch here is as perfect as you’ll find. It’s glossy and smooth but there’s sinew and grain too; the fruit is sweet but the herbs are ardent. Twiggy spice, mescal, black pepper and peanut shells weave through blueberry and ripe plum. Tannin is grapey, fine-grained, smoky and expansive. It’s exemplary.