Price Drop: Robert Oatley Vineyards The Pennant Shiraz 2018

2018 was a standout season in McLaren Vale, producing low-yielding fruit with exceptional concentration and natural balance. Lower yields mean the vine puts more energy into fewer bunches, resulting in grapes with deeper colour, more complex flavour compounds, and better tannin structure. Seven years of bottle age has allowed those elements to integrate beautifully, which explains the seamless, opulent character the wine shows right now. It is a vintage that rewarded patience, and this wine is proof of that.

The good news is that this wine works brilliantly either way. Right now, the silky tannins and plush, layered palate make it genuinely enjoyable with a rich, fatty dish like braised lamb or a well-marbled steak. However, McLaren Vale Shiraz of this quality and structure has a long cellaring trajectory, and another decade in the bottle will likely bring even greater complexity, with the fruit softening further and secondary savoury notes emerging. If you have the patience, buying a few bottles and opening them at intervals is a rewarding way to track its evolution.

Scoring 95 points or above from five separate critics - including Tony Love at 97 and both Ken Gargett and Ray Jordan at 96 - is genuinely rare and speaks to a wine that transcends personal preference. Critics assess wines independently, so consistent high scores across different palates suggest the wine has exceptional balance, complexity, and length rather than simply appealing to one particular style. McLaren Vale Shiraz at this level is recognised internationally for its ability to combine power with refinement, and this wine clearly delivers on both fronts.

Full-bodied Shiraz with rich tannins and flavours of dark chocolate, plum, and allspice calls for food with enough weight and fat to match it. Slow-braised beef short ribs, duck confit, or a hard aged cheese like a mature cheddar or manchego would all complement the wine's depth without being overwhelmed by it. The spice and mocha notes also make it a natural partner for dishes with a smoky or charred element, such as wood-fired lamb or a quality barbecued brisket. Avoid delicate or lightly flavoured dishes, as the wine will simply overpower them.

McLaren Vale is one of Australia's most celebrated wine regions, sitting just south of Adelaide on the Fleurieu Peninsula. Its Mediterranean climate - warm, dry summers and mild winters - combined with ancient soils rich in ironstone and clay creates ideal conditions for Shiraz to develop deep colour, generous fruit, and natural richness. The region is particularly known for producing Shiraz with a distinctive chocolate and dark fruit character, which you can clearly see in this wine's cassis, blueberry, mocha, and dark chocolate profile. It is a region that consistently punches above its weight on the world stage.