Adelaide Hills Shiraz: the top wines to try
Slender, lithe, lively and sexy – this is the Adelaide Hills Shiraz that consumers and critics alike are falling in love with; undeniably Australian but a different style to what you might be used to.
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Individual analysis of the Adelaide Hills by grape variety:
Chardonnay | Sauvignon Blanc | Pinot Noir | Sparkling | Alternative varieties
Plus: Adelaide Hills value – the best wines to buy
In truly understanding what cool-climate characteristics can bring to Adelaide Hills Shiraz, many of the region’s winemakers have taken a great leap forward over the past five years to explore a significantly different style.
The smart ones have stopped chasing the amplified characters typical of South Australia’s other historically famous Shiraz regions, the Barossa and McLaren Vale.
Instead, they’ve learned that the secret to unlocking the best expressions of cool-climate Shiraz requires stepping outside a familiar commercial framework.
The result is a lively new style, its nervy energy driven by a spine of acidity rather than flabby alcohol.
Scroll down for tasting notes and scores of top Adelaide Hills Shiraz
The courage to challenge set perceptions of has paid off. Winelovers and critics alike find the slender, lithe Shirazes made by leading Adelaide Hills producers irresistible.
Such positive change has required a considered reassessment of vineyards – to irrigate, prune and harvest more diligently. Careful growers have found so much possibility here, with sites from warmer open areas in the north (Gumeracha) and south (Macclesfield), to the more undulating tight spaces though Oakbank, Nairne, Woodside, Balhannah and Kuitpo.
Each subregion carries its own personality, and with the alcohol volume and oak percentages turned down low, subtle beauty and sense of place begins to shine. The clean, bright fruit of these Adelaide Hills wines is undeniably Australian, but this is lean, sexy Shiraz of a quite different stripe.
Top producers of Adelaide Hills Shiraz
- Bird In Hand
- Murdoch Hill
- Michael Hall Wines
- Shaw + Smith
- Mount Lofty Ranges Vineyard
Adelaide Hills Shiraz: top wines to try
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Michael Hall, Syrah, Mount Torrens, Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia, 2018
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...
2018
Michael HallAdelaide Hills
Mount Lofty Ranges Vineyard, S&G Shiraz, Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia, 2018
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....
2018
Mount Lofty Ranges VineyardAdelaide Hills
Shaw & Smith, Shiraz, Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia, 2019
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...
2019
Shaw & SmithAdelaide Hills
Bird In Hand, Syrah, Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia, 2018
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...
2018
Bird In HandAdelaide Hills
Mount Lofty Ranges Vineyard, Aspire Shiraz, Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia, 2018
An arresting high perfume of violet and blueberry grabs the attention – and then the crushed velvet palate of bright plum and cranberry, black soil...
2018
Mount Lofty Ranges VineyardAdelaide Hills
Murdoch Hill, The Landau Syrah, Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia, 2018
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...
2018
Murdoch HillAdelaide Hills
Murdoch Hill, Syrah, Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia, 2018
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...
2018
Murdoch HillAdelaide Hills
Shaw & Smith, Balhannah Vineyard Shiraz, Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia, 2018
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...
2018
Shaw & SmithAdelaide Hills
Sidewood Estate, Tyre Fitter Syrah, Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia, 2018
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...
2018
Sidewood EstateAdelaide Hills
Bird In Hand, Mac Shiraz, Mount Lofty Ranges, Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia, 2013
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...
2013
Bird In HandAdelaide Hills
Charlotte Dalton, Beyond the Horizon Shiraz, Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia, 2017
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...
2017
Charlotte DaltonAdelaide Hills
Sidewood Estate, Shiraz, Mappinga, Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia, 2017
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...
2017
Sidewood EstateAdelaide Hills
Bird In Hand, Nest Egg Shiraz, Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia, 2014
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...
2014
Bird In HandAdelaide Hills
Lobethal Road, Shiraz, Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia, 2018
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...
2018
Lobethal RoadAdelaide Hills
Paracombe, Somerville Shiraz, Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia, 2013
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...
2013
ParacombeAdelaide Hills
Saint & Scholar, Saving Grace Shiraz, Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia, 2018
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...
2018
Saint & ScholarAdelaide Hills
Simon Tolley, Perfectus Shiraz, Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia, 2017
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...
2017
Simon TolleyAdelaide Hills
Simon Tolley, Syrah, Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia, 2019
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 –...
2019
Simon TolleyAdelaide Hills
K1, Shiraz, Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia, 2018
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...
2018
K1Adelaide Hills
Lobethal Road, Bacchant Shiraz, Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia, 2016
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...
2016
Lobethal RoadAdelaide Hills
Paracombe, MacGillivray Shiraz, Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia, 2012
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...
2012
ParacombeAdelaide Hills
Sidewood Estate, Old China Hand Syrah, Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia, 2018
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...
2018
Sidewood EstateAdelaide Hills
Sidewood Estate, Shiraz, Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia, 2019
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...
2019
Sidewood EstateAdelaide Hills
The Lane, Block 5 Shiraz, Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia, 2019
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...
2019
The LaneAdelaide Hills
Anvers, The Warrior Shiraz, Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia, 2016
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...
2016
AnversAdelaide Hills
Paracombe, Dimenticato Shiraz, Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia, 2017
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...
2017
ParacombeAdelaide Hills
Ngeringa, Iluma Vineyard Syrah, Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia, 2019
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...
2019
NgeringaAdelaide Hills
Paracombe, Shiraz, Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia, 2015
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,...
2015
ParacombeAdelaide Hills
Anvers, Razorback Road Shiraz, Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia, 2018
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...
2018
AnversAdelaide Hills
Chain of Ponds, Ledge Single Vineyard Shiraz, Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia, 2018
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...
2018
Chain of PondsAdelaide Hills
