The old vines of Blewitt Springs are a precious resource, and an important part of Australia’s viticultural history. In early 2021, MMAD Vineyard was purchased by a quartet made up of winemakers Martin Shaw and Adam Wadewitz, and Masters of Wine Michael Hill Smith and David LeMire. MMAD takes its names from their first initials. The MMAD wines aim to reflect the unique terroir of Blewitt Springs and the rare old vines that thrive there, namely the Grenache planted in 1939, Shiraz planted in 1942 and Chenin Blanc planted in 1964.

This has been the surprise packet of the MMAD wines, with it duelling for position with the grenache and chenin blanc. Some whole bunch, concrete and oak vat for ferment, then raised in older, larger oak, as usual. Saint-Joseph resonances. Evocatively aromatic and spicily so. Smoky, darkly mineral. Blackberry pastille, tapenade, lavender, grilled game meat, crème de violette, iodine and nori, star anise, ground clove, allspice, green and black peppercorns, malted barley, freshly ground coffee, powdery rust. Like the grenache, the nose holds such intrigue, demands attention. That’s matched by the silky flow of the old-vine fruit on the palate and the superfine natural tannin. This is blisteringly good, again. Date: Feb 2026; Alcohol: 13.5%; Price: $77.00; Drink by: 2036; Rating: 97+ Points & Special Value Star; James Halliday Wine Companion

Very deep colour, dark and purply, the bouquet loaded at first sniff with smoky reduction backed by graphite, tar, blackstrap licorice and black pepper, plum and blackberry. A floral lift emerged with time in the glass. The tannins are firm and strongly gripping: this is a tremendously concentrated and power-packed shiraz that needs time and will be very long lived. Incredibly impressive. Leave it for at least two years and preferably more. Date: Jun 2026; Alcohol: 13.5%; Price: $77.00; Drink: 2029–2044; Rating: 97 Points; Huon Hooke; The Real Review

A briar of black fruit and savoury, creeping herbs—bilberry, dark cherry and pepperberry layered with notes of kombu, coastal rosemary and wild, untamed greens. There’s an earthiness here too: turned soil and dark, stony sand grounding the aromatic lift. It feels like an afternoon bush walk—banksia brushing past, scrub at your ankles—so vivid is its sense of place and transportive quality. Powder-fine tannins settle gently through the mid-palate, while olive tapenade, nigella seed and a touch of twiggy oak lend structure and savoury detail, supporting the core of blackberry fruit. This is full flavoured, detailed with its own distinctive character but sits in a medium to full body for its freshness and brightness. You won’t forget this experience any time soon. Try this with Lamb chops and old school mint sauce and reinvent the marriage of the two. Old school dish and very new school modern wine. Date: July: 2026; Rating: 97 Points; Shanteh Wale

Blewitt Springs is an island, part of McLaren Vale and yet separate, thanks to its Maslin sands and iron rich soils. Year after year, decade after decade, it gets its moment to shine with Shiraz. Here, florals swirl amid dark spices, black tea scents and dark cherry, plum. It’s a complex introduction. Black peppery notes lead the way into a rich, highly spiced palate laced in florals and delivered on a bed of ripe dark berries with background leather notes and hints of nutty vanillin. Quite a stunning array of fruit concentration and intensity with real energy in those savoury firm and integrated tannins. Date: July: 2026; Drink by: 2026-2038; Rating: 97 Points; Jeni Port

This is a sublime shiraz in anyone’s language. It’s a wine of power, it’s a wine of finesse, it’s a wine of perfume and it’s a wine of beauty. It flows with black cherry, plum, black pepper, boysenberry, smoked meats and aromatic herbs, a general nuttiness infused deliciously throughout. As important as anything is the fact that this wine is medium in weight or more and yet it feels fresh, even mouth-watering. The grapes have been picked at exactly the right moment. So many wines, even when they’re good, have a deadness in their eyes; this is a wine with a sparkle or a smile in its eyes. It’s the perfect McLaren Vale shiraz. Rating: 96 Points; Campbell Mattinson