The Torbreck Woodcutter's Shiraz has always represented excellent value, with fruit sourced from Marananga, Greenock, Seppeltsfield, Gomersal, Moppa, Lyndoch and Ebenezer. Deep magenta, with aromas of juicy blueberry and satsuma plum conserve along with exotic spice, purple flowers, sandalwood, bay leaf, chocolate bullets, dried citrus and earth. Juicy with some nice fresh acidity, fine, sandy tannin grip and some rich fruitcake tones on the exit.

The 2022 Woodcutter's Shiraz is a brilliant entrée to Barossa Shiraz. It exhibits all the earthy, red gravel, ironstone characters that infuse the tannic structure, while fleshed out by dense, purple fruit. It has levity and balance and freshness too, which is ultimately what makes it a great wine. There's gorgeous splay of spicy tannins, chewy and a little grippy. Matured for 10 months in seasoned oak, "the 2023 is coming out of oak as we speak now," says winemaker Ian Hongell. The fruit for this wine cascades down from a number of different sources within the Barossa (including Eden Valley). It's very good. (EL)