Spinifex Moppa Shiraz 2018

The quality of this wine is incredible, and when you consider the price, it is honestly an extraordinary bargain. This wine reminds me of the wines of Sami Odi (Barossa, which retail around the $80-$100 mark) and of Dan Standish (also Barossa, currently on the shelf here for $130 a bottle). These winemakers share a similar philosophy, make their wines from very old vine material throughout the Barossa and all reference the Northern Rhone as a great influence and benchmark for what they are doing here in Australia. I couldn’t believe it when this hit the shelf at only $35 a bottle.

This is dark and serious with a bit of grit and chew, but the wine also has an inner shine to it and elevated flavours that sit surprisingly light on the palate. It shows dark chocolate, black olive, ash and black cherry, but the acid lifts these flavours to a point where they are incredibly light on their feet. And in a very unusual way, there are mineral undertones to this wine that I very rarely see in Australian Shiraz. It is really very impressive. I am sticking a few bottles away to look at in years to come. – Ches Cook, FWC.