Dandelion Firehawk McLaren Vale Shiraz 2023

95 POINTS

Marcus Ellis - Halliday Wine Companion

From the home vineyard, a third whole bunch and a third new oak for 18 months. That oak’s glossy at the start, in balance, but offering up its early bounty of vanilla bean, fine caramel, char, clove and ginger biscuit spice. As said, that’s all in balance with the darkly hued but decidedly vibrant fruit profile. Boysenberry, blueberry, wild raspberry, sun-warmed Mediterranean herbs and earth, wisps of blue florals, a tarry mineral note and complexing twig and wild herb bunch notes, discreet yet influential. It’s delightfully heady in aroma, but not heavy, the vigour of the finish energising. Excellent.