McLaren Vale vs. Barossa Valley Shiraz Dozen

Here’s a pack which pits powerful Barossa Shiraz against multifaceted McLaren Vale Shiraz... We’re hesitant to call it a fight to the death, more of an opportunity for you to compare and contrast the many and varied charms of exceptional Shiraz from what are arguably Australia’s 2 finest regions for full bodied Shiraz.

From the Barossa, we have the Brickfielder Shiraz, made by former Penfolds head Winemaker Oliver Crawford. This is a rich and well oaked Barossan; it is a massive wine, loaded with black fruits, vanilla and cedary oak. From the same winemaker, we have the Karl’s Scepter Barossa Shiraz, again with excellent depth of fruit and even more cedar, having spent a year in high quality French oak. There’re black fruits, chocolate, vanilla. cherries plum and spice.

From the McLaren Vale, we present Martins Limited Shiraz, reviewed at 97 points by Sam Kim and 96 by both Ken Gargett and Kim Brebach. Year in, year out, this is our bestselling super premium Shiraz. Fruits are blacks and blues, with blueberries, blackberries, olive tapenade, cedar and vanilla populating a powerful and long palate. The tannins are polished, waxy and plentiful. Also from McLaren Vale, the Pasha Shiraz, which was voted higher than Penfolds Grange in a recent Grange challenge we conducted. This is packed with uber ripe and gorgeously generous black fruits, dark cherry, compote, notes of furniture polish, spice, black pepper, chocolate, tobacco, and leather...

These are big wines but rather than being a clash of the titans, perhaps this represents an opportunity to compare excellent examples of Shiraz from both the Barossa Valley and the McLaren Vale, and we’ve no doubt that while you will identify a winner, it’ll be a close run thing.