Adelaide Hills Shiraz: the top wines to try

Barossa-based winemaker Michael Hall came to the Adelaide Hills searching for a specific type of cool-climate Shiraz site, and found it on a 480m vineyard at Mount Torrens. It delivers a heady perfume of wild bramble, herbs and meadow grass – frisky and vivacious. Bold, dark fruit flavours reinforce this, through slinky layers of black cherry, sharp cranberry, dried sage, dark plum and cinnamon, and deliberate black tannic grip through the long finish.

A strikingly exotic nose, dominated by musk, sandalwood and dark spice bazaar perfumes ahead of the berries. The palate is similarly fine-boned and intricately structured. Textural layers unfold, with veils of blueberry and cranberry dropping to reveal a slender black plum core. Enticing, almost bewitching for its mysterious complexity. Much more nuance than you expect from Australian Shiraz.

Beware the siren with the ruby-red lips. In a smoky room, here she strides – confident, cool, arresting. Slender, stalky cherry and a smear of blackcurrant bite, spiked with crushed peppercorns. No sunny smiles here, this is deadly serious. Leaner, finer and taut, it marks a big stride ahead from previous vintages. This vision of cool-climate Shiraz marks a new age of measured sophistication.

The heady perfume is elegant: blueberry muffin, wild sage, a whiff of liquorice. The flavours are equally seductive: firm black fruits and sharp cherry, laced in strands of leather and tobacco. Whole-bunch ferment and wild-yeast influence is captured in the right measure, showing deft balance of winemaker intervention and vineyard expression.

An arresting high perfume of violet and blueberry grabs the attention – and then the crushed velvet palate of bright plum and cranberry, black soil grip and spice draws you in. A wrestle of light and dark, the likes of which you don’t expect from this region. It’s a lithe serpent whose definition keeps slithering out of reach. Worth another look, then another.

From a single vineyard at Oakbank, this starts with a rich black-fruited, sooty nose, leading to a more open-hearted blueberry embrace. Sharp, acidic cherry defines its core before the palate tightens to a slate and oyster-shell lick for a tight, intriguing finish. This feisty middleweight has spark and serious intent.

A hint of soot and stalk, then firm red berries weave a defined and happy frame. Light on its feet at first, the mood soon darkens. A quite nervy black-fruited grip takes hold, with fine black tea tannins in the tail – like a menacing winter storm cloud that sweeps in to overwhelm a sunny morning.

Significantly riper than the previous vintage, this shows its affection more forcefully through a broader mid palate, with an intense wrestle of blackberry and blueberry competing to win the upper hand. Firmer on the finish with sharp pepper seasoning the fruit sweetness. An intriguingly different Shiraz from a superior site.

The inaugural release of a wine featuring only the SAVII 19 Shiraz clone from Sidewood’s cool-climate Echunga vineyard. Tight, complex and high-toned wild raspberry flavours complemented by dark plum and blackberry. While fruit flavours show their primary colours boldly, a chew of tobacco adds intrigue to the deep mid-palate and sustained finish.

There’s power and opulence here in abundance, but this heady wine tries not to brag too much. It speaks more of fruit concentration and expensive oak cosseting than terroir expression. Cassis, chocolate, mint, ripe cherry and vanilla flavours purr like a big-engine roadster gliding along a smooth, polished, oaky highway. Luxury many can’t afford.

Dark and bewitching, this wears a long, slender gown of blackberry hedgerow and mossy earth on a dewy autumn morning, a puff of gunsmoke joining its dense bramble lair. Yet as the palate unfurls, it’s surprisingly austere, then tight and polite at the finish. Serious, like a quiet late-night conversation.

Complex, rich aromas of dark chocolate, plum and spice complement the dense palate of fresh blackberry, star anise, liquorice, cocoa and white pepper. A powerful but seamlessly balanced cool-climate Shiraz with lingering, leathery tannins. Powerful and surly, yet to reveal its full spectrum of flavour,. Likely to cellar far beyond 15 years.

A sweet, high-toned and powerful nose of blackberry, mulberry, blossom and marzipan continues on the seriously concentrated, tightly wound palate. Despite big intensity, the flavours glide smoothly through the extended palate. A big body in a well-tailored suit – very dapper!

On the nose, a sprinkle of fine white pepper enhances the ruby red fruits. Being lean and nimble on the palate, the flavours dance across the tongue in a frisky, appealing manner. A charming Shiraz thanks to its modest, lively qualities.

Transplanted 1903 Shiraz vines give real power and passion. Rich, full and true, sweet oak guides the big dark berry flavours, showing more winery influence than regional terroir. It has a lovely smooth palate with a sprinkle of pepper to balance the plummy fruits.

There's power here but there’s also nimble spice and lively purple-berried fruit. A lick of tarry tannins and something more surly and serious offsets that whole-bunch prettiness. Very intriguing – like Jekyll and Hyde without the violence.

Built in a more solid, traditional and wood-influenced frame, but lean enough to show cool-climate character. Ripe blackberry, but still with a fresh bounce in its step, closing with heavy black pepper and chewy black tannins.

Lifted violet on the nose shows the influence of whole-bunch fruit. It’s a portrait of blueberry freshness with a hint of fennel lurking beneath – all brightness and mid-palate cuddle, with a dusting of pepper to show its cool-climate credentials.

Site is of specific interest for Geoff Hardy, whose viticultural knowledge has seen him commissioned to plant many significant vineyards throughout South Australia. This is from his own Kuitpo property: big framed, but it brings the black pepper, cigar box and cedar aromas, plus dark plum and blackberry. Soft and generous in texture, but with a long, even flavour.

This Shiraz loads up the power in its rich, concentrated nose and broad initial surge of primary black and red fruit flavours. These slide into a long, even and persistent cascade of berry richness framed by spiky black pepper. A very solid unit.

Big alcohol fumes along with some volatile acidity, but thankfully violets and blueberry aromas dominate. The palate is plush, full and rich, like an overstuffed sofa whose big berry warmth envelops you, although sharper black pepper notes spike through the back palate. One for old-school Shiraz lovers.

Inaugural release of a single-clone Shiraz from the Ironstone single vineyard in Echunga. It's planted to seven Shiraz clones, each producing unique characteristics. Block Four was one of two chosen from the 2018 vintage, with 2,202 bottles produced from six selected barrels. Partial whole bunch with extended maceration then 12 months in French oak, 30% new. Enticingly bright mulberry, raspberry and blueberry lead to a mouthwatering finish.

Aromas of plum, blackcurrant, dark chocolate and elegant spice lead to a generous but nimble palate of white pepper, leather and forest berries. Rich and silky tannins linger with seamless persistence. Svelte, spicy and great value.

With a loud plum and violet perfume, this has all the marks of carbonic maceration yet without the generous fruitgum flavours to follow. Lean and spicy, its lively acidity keeps the palate sharply defined, with a bite of black pepper on the finish. Good, but lacks a little flesh.

The addition of 25% Langhorne Creek fruit opens up the sweetness and generosity of both the berry-bursting aromas and the flavour – amplified by the plump fruit weight, alcohol warmth and generous oak. A comforting overstuffed leather sofa of a wine, but a little too high-toned.

Lean blueberry fruit aromas with some flinty spice lift. The palate is mid-weight but the flavours are disproportionately quite aggressive – raw-fisted black fruit artifice and sharp black pepper. Might just need time.

With a heavy, dark brow and pouty disposition, this needs time to show its beauty; it's a little short at the moment, with a lingering peppery prickle. Peaty, earthy notes and menthol spikes shroud the fruit, but slowly the rich redcurrant and tart plum should surface.

Generous plums and blueberries provide chubby comfort on the lush mid-palate. Some finesse from cracked black pepper but there's too much warmth from big oak, making it heavy on its feet. Not as nimble as it could be.

Smell the oak vanilla, taste the oak – where is the cool-climate charm? Black cherries, blood plums and liquorice fill out a dense palate, but there’s not enough breathing space to expand and flourish due to a restraining oak corset.

Dense, dark, syrupy nose with an edge of wild sage and allspice. Plump, plush fruit flavours on entry, then it draws in quickly to a very skinny, tight mid-palate and quite severe peppery, hot finish.