97 points - "Deep, brooding crimson-purple. This is a reproduction of variety and place of the highest quality. It’s velvet in the mouth, and mines all the black fruits, dark chocolate, liquorice and spice hoped for. The tannins are polished, the oak absorbed by the fruit." - James Halliday (The Weekend Australian)

96 points - "From the two oldest blocks (1950 and ’60); two weeks on skins with about 20% whole bunches; 18 months in French hogsheads (5% new). The home vineyard shiraz trio are neatly differentiated. Here, there's a denser, more ‘classic’ feel, though the house style of restraint is still writ large. In part, this is defined by the iron, iodine and nori mineral notes sitting so forward in the wine, blue florals perfuming. Blackberry pastille, dark cherry, bitter chocolate, tar and master stock spice feature across a plumpness of fruit, but sans sweetness, rather suffused with the silky, supple gravitas of old-vine fruit guided by assertively fine tannins." - Marcus Ellis (Halliday Wine Companion)

95 points - "Blueberry, blackberry, mint and sage, seaweed, some liquorice and biscuit spice. It’s full-bodied, but only just, saline and savoury, black olive, sweet blue and black fruit, raspberry ripple, ripe fine-grained but insistent tannin, oyster shell and cool peppermint, it’s thoroughly regional but has depth and presence. Lots to like here, and it feels classic McLaren Vale in character, though turned out with a light and deft touch in the winery. Ripe tannin rolls out the red raspberry carpet on a finish of fine length." - Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)

95 points - "Dense and inky core, deep purple at the rim. Mulberry, clove, iodine, and mocha aromas. Dense and weighty with plush blue and purple fruits driving the core. The fruit sits fresh and lively though, alongside clove and vanilla spices, with a deep iodine ferrous undercurrent. Fine grained tannins keep it rolling along and it finishes very long. It has a classic Vale plushness but without overworking the fruit. Honestly, a bargain at the price" - Stuart Knox (The Real Review)

Hand-picked fruit, wild yeast ferment, 2 weeks on skins. About 20% whole bunches. 18 months ageing in mostly used French hogsheads (with 5% new oak as part of the final blend). No fining or filtration, bottled in August 2023.