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.

Perhaps the weakest link on the table (of 2018 releases) but that’s off a high base. Soft texture, a sheen of clove-y oak and a slightly shrill finish pull this off the podium. A little out of whack with fruit, tannin and acid on tasting, Dark berries, faint choc-mint and lots of undergrowth and eucalyptus notes here – palate and bouquet in a handshake on that. Mid-palate is lush and lovely, the gummy-then-rough tannins come to play in the relatively abrupt finish. Bolder style, a little breathy, some lovely flavours all amongst this with ‘classic Wendouree shiraz’ writ large in characters. This one doesn’t feel like it will unfurl with cellaring time to be better, more for it to pull its parts together. Tasted: Aug 2020; Alcohol: 13.5%; Closure: Screwcap; Drink: 2025-2040; Rated: 93+ Points; Mike Bennie; The Wine Front

Red fruits mainly, but some blackberry, quite a lot of gum leaf, cedar, and camphor, lavender too. It’s a little sappy and tangy, crisp feel laid in with firm dense almost grainy tannin. Cranberry crunch. Goes a bit purple and nutty on a long and leafy finish. You have to like a bit of gum and mint, but very good in that classic Wendouree way. Pulls somewhat herbal and sandpaper-y in tannin quality to close. In evolution, and has a certain toughness and old school feel to it.  Tasted: Aug 2020; Alcohol: 13.5%; Closure: Screwcap; Drink: 2025-2040; Rated: 94 Points; Gary Walsh; The Wine Front

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