Standish The Relic Shiraz 2021

Drink now or cellar for up to 20 years. Decant 1 hour before serving. Dan Standish’s personal wine label showcases the very best Shiraz wines crafted by the master winemaker who has been working his magic at Torbreck winery in the Barossa Valley for many years. His family have been based in the Barossa Valley for six generations, and in 1999 Dan decided to set up his own winery based around an ancient plot of vines owned by his father. His winemaking philosophy is heavily influenced by his work in France’s Rhone Valley working with the magnificent Syrah grape as Shiraz is known in Europe. This is most obvious in his iconic The Relic cuvee where the Shiraz is cofermented with some Viognier to add an attractive freshness and elegance to the hearty red wine. Dan is so exacting with his own wines that he often sells off up to 80% of the original blend to other producers rather than using it in his cuvees. For this bottling Dan uses fruit from the Hongell Family Vineyard, carefully selecting only the best berries which are fermented in open tanks with wild yeasts. The young wine is then aged in French oak barrels for 30 months before bottling. Bursting with seductive crushed wild berries, sweet licorice, plums, and hints of baked earth and cedar, this is a great wine to cellar for a bit longer or serve now alongside hearty red meat dishes.

Price: £101.08 from 8wines UK