96 points - "So good on so many levels. Delights the senses with its vision of a fragrant, elegant, spice-laced syrah showcasing the beauty of a leading cool-climate region. Complex in toasted spices, pepper, red cherry, plum, and briar running long across a smoothly textured, well-composed palate. Great balance. The cork with the words 'fidus in silvis silentibus' – faith in the silent forests – relates to the theories of Viktor Schaiberger, Austrian naturalist and philosopher." - Jeni Port (Halliday Wine Companion)

95 points - "There’s lots going on here. Earth, twigs, smoke, meaty pan juices, porcini mushroom, dark cherry, autumn leaves, forest floor and pink peppercorn. So invitingly savoury. This is an umami laden treat that’s hard to pull away from! The palate has trademark lift and glide in a medium bodied spectrum. Dark cherry, subtle mushroom and earth with a sappy edge. The finish is so finely spun with everything wrapped up in a vein of fine, integrated tannins and dark cherry drenched acidity. A long, even and clean finish. So little of this wine is about fruit, and it’s so damn good. Another classy, fine and brilliantly complex release from VS&B." - Tom Kline (Wine Pilot)

90 points - "Spicy, wheaty, nutty, a lot of cracked black pepper, blue and black fruit, peppermint and capsicum, something a little cosmetic too, like a nice face cream. It’s medium-bodied, a whole lot of hazelnut in the mix here, and meaty and spicy with it, bright acidity, a fair bit of blood orange tang, kind of sappy, very wheaty and savoury, that capsicum bit rides pretty high in the wine, with cool acidity and a finish of good length. It’s spicy and vibrant, though maybe marginal in terms of ripeness. I like it, though you have to like a more crisp and herbal style of Shiraz." - Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)

A deep but clear maroon-purple appearance. The nose flips between olive brine and cold clay, and more ascendant violet purple floral characters. With time in glass, a ripple of pleasing greeny stalkishness emerges as does white pepper and macerated blue-purple fruits.

The palate is all blackberry compote, unsweetened and vital, and the tannins are quite rolling and layered, silty and emery at the same time. Cool pepperiness builds to length.