An iron fist in a velvet glove best describes these extraordinary wines. They are fashioned with commitment from the very old vineyard (shiraz, cabernet sauvignon, malbec, mataro and muscat of alexandria), with its unique terroir, by Tony and Lita Brady, who rightly see themselves as custodians of a priceless treasure. The 100+-year-old stone winery is virtually unchanged from the day it was built; this is in every sense a treasure beyond price.

Blackcurrant, tobacco, menthol and cedar, toasty nutty oak. It’s medium-bodied, good intensity of small dark berry fruit, though it feels kind of sheath-like, as in you are getting the outside of a wine and there’s not quite enough stuffing inside. Tobacco, blackberry and blackcurrant, a bit sharp and tangy, with an iodine-laced finish of good length. It offers a certain cool blue fruited structural and rain-washed mineral charm, and I reckon it will age very well, though it’s something of a sideshow compared to the usual Wendouree Cabernet. Date: July 2025; Alcohol: 13.3%; Closure: Screwcap; Drink: 2027-2043+; Rated: 93+ Points; Gary Walsh; The Wine Front