Black Market wines not to be missed
Our Black Market - deals the give you exceptional value, only made possible if we don’t reveal the maker’s brand.
Wines that are bona-fide, 100% the genuine article. You just don't know what they'll be until they turn up.
But we can tell you a few things. Important stuff like what they taste like, when they were made and what from. And also what they've been scored by critics too.
Here's five deals we think you can't afford to sleep on, because they've all been scored 95pts or higher(!) by Halliday, and they won't stick around for long.
Shiraz 2018 – Black Market Deal #49421
An outstanding shiraz that isn't shying away from the test of time. Halliday recognised the quality in this one early: power and weight are defining qualities, and they are abundant. A good wine can be enjoyed with conversation, but a great wine becomes the conversation. That's what will happen when you share this bottle with friends; if you're like us you'll start to wax lyrical about McLaren Vale and all it's geology, and if you're not like us (which, we kind of hope you aren't) then hopefully you'll just talk about how delicious this shiraz is and how sleek the packaging looks. At the end of the day, we're not here to tell you what to do, but we will say that a deal on an aged, 95 pointed Halliday shiraz doesn't come along every day: so don't hesitate to grab a case while you can.
Shiraz 2018 – Black Market Deal #49143
Welcome to this producer’s colossal flagship wine. All parents say they don’t have a favourite child, but we’re pretty sure this would be the one for our star McLaren Vale producer. Picking the premium, low-yielding fruit from their vineyards, they’ve succeeded in creating a magnificently concentrated wine. There’s some parcels of fruit that go into American oak, and some in French. Some new and some old. It hits all the notes and comes together in a symphony of black and blue fruits. C’mon, those scores from the experts (including a 95 from Halliday) really speak for themselves on this one. But if we were to give you a short review from our team, it’d be this: don’t pass on the opportunity to get this in your glass.
Shiraz 2021 – Black Market Deal #48680
95pts from Halliday - and according to our buyer Tully "top of my list of the most exciting Barossa shiraz that I have drunk in my career. It's complex, it's intriguing, and it's just bloody delicious". A richly dark and complex wine. Chocolate and dark, ripe fruit, a little Christmas cakey in parts. The tannin profile is broad and ripe, grappling with the gums but not leaving them dry and wanting. The dense fruit core drives up the centre of the palate and lingers on through the length of the finish. Blackberry, tobacco, earth, fruit leather, orange peel. This is a prime example of how premium wine can look so good in relative youth - there's still a tightness to the palate, but its focused and direct. Should you wish to cellar it, it'll reward patience. A drink some now, drink some later wine if we've ever seen one. Every critic under the sun gave this wine a rave review, and we can see why.
Shiraz 2020 – Black Market Deal #48914
Warning: if you’re currently wearing your favourite socks, you better hold onto them bloody tight ‘cause this brooding, dark beast of a wine is bound to knock them right off. Be prepared for power, intensity and concentration. Luscious black fruit, earth, dark chocolate, spice and wave upon wave of flavour. This is a stunning single vineyard shiraz - one that has received 95+ from Halliday nearly every vintage its been released. This flagship single vineyard Shiraz is capable of great heights, sure to stay in its prime for over a decade yet to come.
Shiraz 2018 – Black Market Deal #49420
Incredibly bright, yet deep and luscious shiraz. James Halliday knows McLaren Vale shiraz better than most, so it's a real mark of quality when he grants a 95pt score. Picked from a single vineyard near the heart of McLaren Vale on Pirramimma sandstone (up to 2 million years of age), this shiraz is deeply aromatic; bursting with notes of plum, violet, tobacco leaf, blackcurrant and cherry pie. This wine was crafted with a dedicated eye on the little nuances, and the result is outstanding. There's a reason James Halliday himself gave this one a big thumb's up, and that's all in the details.
That was five with the Halliday points to back them, but there's plenty more hidden gems to discover in the full Black Market range.
Got more questions on what makes the Black Market so great? No worries - over here for the full explainer.