Rusty Mutt Vermillion Bird Shiraz 2015

Deep, dark, and utterly compelling, this is a wine that gets into your and refuses to be forgotten. On the nose, it’s all rich perfume and fruit complexity - dark berries, smoked game, dried herbs, cake spice. The palate's a bit of a different story, big, plush, and powerfully structured. There’s real depth and drive here, with dense plum and blackberry fruit, muscular tannins and a long, dry finish that draws you right back in for another sip. Age has somewhat tamed the beast - the tannins are polished, the fruit is singing, and the shape and structure of the whole wine are working together beautifully. It’s still a wine of immense strength and character, but the edges are beautifully smoothed out. Expect cedar, sandalwood, spice, and a sheet of chewy, mouth-coating tannin that lasts and lasts and lasts. If you like your reds bold, brooding and built to go the distance, this is absolutely your jam.