2018 Spinifex Rostein Shiraz

98 POINTS

James Suckling

This has an assertive, red-cherry and blackberry nose with crushed stones, graphite and abundant fragrant spices, buried deep in black fruit. The palate has dense tannins and very intense, concentrated, blackberry and blood-plum flavors. Chiseled, compressed, velvety and powerful. Needs three to four years. Screw cap.

96 POINTS

Tyson Stelzer - Halliday's Wine Companion

First release. Hand picked, no whole bunches. Wild-yeast fermented then matured for 12 months in 50% new barriques and demi-muids. A grand newcomer for Spinifex, this is the first time this vineyard has stepped up since it was purchased in 2014. Signature Eden Valley shiraz of full purple hue, reverberating with deep-set spice, powerful blackberry and satsuma plum fruit, fresh licorice and a full serve of dark chocolate oak. Impressive concentration is consummately backed with a fine yet taut frame of intricately suspended tannins that carry the finish very long indeed.

95 POINTS

Mike Bennie - The Wine Front

Flaxman Valley really feels like it’s dress circle Eden these days. Maybe always, definitely where the best wines I like drinking seem to come from now. Or at least on a small litmus test. Anyway, fancy release from Spinfex, probably long overdue really. Yep, glass stopped in the neck. Blue fruits, crushed rocks, light spice, cola, some eucalyptus, fennel and minty notes. Yum smells. Palate is lush but controlled, deeply flavoured, ripples with fine swishes of tannin and finds cool acidity underlying, minerally and freshening. A gulpable red but one that asks for attention – lots of detail here, lots to sit and pause on. Some tension in the finish too; it speaks of save some for later. A very, very good shiraz.

93 POINTS

Huon Hooke - The Real Review

Very deep, dark red/purple colour, with a first aroma of toasty, charred oak, shading into very dark chocolate and mocha, with notes of coconut, tar and earthy ironstone. The wine is very full-bodied in the mouth, high-impact and loaded with drying tannins, black olive and tapenade notes and a chewy finish, the tannins coating the mouth. There's a lot of oak but it's not overdone as long as you cellar it. Old school and very good. (2830 bottles made)

93 POINTS

Amanda Yallop - The Real Review

Inky appearance, concentrated notes of dark fruits and Italian bitters. Intense burst of flavour: mulberry, damson, sandalwood, pepper and oak. Full-bodied, fine-grained tannin cradles the fruit with ease. Needs time in bottle to show its best.