Shiraz Archives

December 11, 2025March 5, 2026

John Duval Wines Entity Shiraz 2022

Duval Entity

John Duval Wines is a prestigious family-run winery based in the Barossa Valley, South Australia, founded by renowned winemaker John Duval in 2003.

Duval comes from a long lineage of grape growers. The Duval family supplied grapes to top South Australian producers for over 100 years.

After studying winemaking at the University of Adelaide’s Roseworthy College, Duval began his career at Penfolds in 1974, eventually serving as Chief Winemaker from 1986 to 2002.

Through the 1990s he played a leading role in experimenting with the maturation of old vine Barossa Shiraz in new French oak, contrary to the established winery convention of blending Shiraz from multiple regions and maturation in American oak.

At Penfolds he was instrumental in crafting the legendary Penfolds Grange and other major wines before leaving to create his own label rooted in the Barossa and Eden Valley’s old-vined vineyards.

The style tends toward elegance, structure, and layered complexity, showcasing varietal character rather than heavy oak or hyper-extraction.

Duval’s son, Tim Duval, joined the family business in 2016, ushering in a new generation focused on heritage and innovation. Continue reading “John Duval Wines Entity Shiraz 2022”

December 15, 2023September 7, 2026

Hardys Tintara Shiraz

Hardys Tintara Reserve Shiraz 2019

Nestled within the picturesque McLaren Vale wine region in South Australia, Hardys Tintara winery stands as a testament to the rich history and enduring legacy of Australian winemaking. Established in 1861 by the visionary Dr. Alexander Charles Kelly, Tintara has weathered the test of time, producing wines that have not only earned global acclaim but have also become an integral part of Australia’s winemaking narrative.

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December 31, 2022December 26, 2025

Bondar Shiraz

Bondar Wines — For tasting notes, click here.

Bondar Shiraz

McLaren Vale is a wine region in south Australia about 20 miles from “Australia’s Wine City,” Adelaide. Vines were first planted here in 1838, but things didn’t really get going until about 40 years later. By the turn of the twentieth century, McLaren Vale was established as one of Australia’s premier wine regions, a position it holds until this day, with over 80 wineries and 13,000 acres under vine. This coastal zone sits between the Mount Lofty Ranges and the tempering sea. The growing season is long and warm, and features good air drainage to prevent frosts.

It was here that Andre Bondar decided to set up shop. He originally got the wine bug in 2001 after working a vintage in Oregon. Following that, he worked at Tyrrell’s, in the Hunter, and historic Hardys Tintara, in McLaren Vale, as well as at Padthaway. He credits a vintage with Northern Rhône legend Alain Graillot with being hugely influential, particularly in respect to the impact of whole bunch fermentation. “It changed the way I made wine,” Bondar says. Finally came formal training, and Bondar took a postgraduate winemaking degree at Adelaide University in 2005. He then worked at Nepenthe, in the Adelaide Hills, from 2006. He started as a cellar hand and left seven years later as the senior winemaker.
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December 20, 2021September 7, 2026

Penfolds Bin 600 Cabernet Shiraz

Penfolds Bin 600 Cabernet Shiraz 2018

Until Yellow Tail precipitated the boom in “critter wines” in 2000, it can be argued that Penfolds was just about synonymous with Australian wine in the U.S. The label is ubiquitous here, in both grocery stores and fine wine shops. Prices range from about $12 per bottle for the Koonunga Hill Shiraz-Cabernet, to $850 for the legendary Grange, and everything in between. (That $850 is doubly amazing, because just five or six years ago Grange was “only” about $200.) The selections are mostly reds plus a few whites and even a tawny Port.

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December 17, 2019September 3, 2026

Carmel Winery

Carmel Winery Private Collection

The first mention of wine in the Bible appears in Genesis, chapter 9, verse 20, “And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard.” The story goes on to recount some unpleasantness after Noah over imbibes, but there is no reason to go into that here. The point is, wine is as old as history itself, with some of its earliest beginnings in the Middle East. Indeed, references to wine appear hundreds of times in Scripture, through both the Old and New Testaments.
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December 16, 2019November 24, 2025

Linchpin McLaren Vale Shiraz and Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc

Linchpin McLaren Vale Shiraz 2004

This award-winning Shiraz hails from McLaren Vale on Australia’s southern coast. The complex soil types here combine with the St. Vincent’s Gulf breezes to make for ideal vineyard conditions.

Winemaker Matt Rechner believes the best way to make excellent wine is through simple processes and minimal handling for maximum flavor extraction. Here the grapes were harvested from low-yield vineyards, then spent 20 months in French and American oak. The concentrated fruit, supported by notes of chocolate and blackberry, certainly comes through in this relatively high-alcohol (15.2%) Shiraz. It has a lush, velvet-like mouth feel and well-balanced oak tannins.

Serve with lamb stew accented by eggplant, saffron, and raisins, or shepherd’s pie.

ekhidnawines.com.au/product/linchpin-shiraz-2016/

Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc 2006

Kim Crawford is perhaps New Zealand’s most famous wine maker. After 20 years as an independent, three years ago he sold out to an American holding company. However, he was allowed to pursue boutique bottlings, and we have one of those here.

This Sauvignon Blanc dodges the grassiness which so often mars this varietal when it originates in New Zealand. Instead there is a tart, refreshing, distinct grapefruit nose and taste. Completely dry, with a bit of flint on the finish. Delicious.

Pair this wine with lobster tacos, seafood paella, or parmesan-dijon chicken drumsticks.

kimcrawfordwines.com/us/products/sauvignon-blanc/

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November 23, 2019August 21, 2026

Cockfighter’s Ghost Shiraz and Tapestry Chardonnay

In this post I sample two uncommon wines that only have one thing in common: they both come from Australia’s McLaren Vale.

Cockfighter’s Ghost Shiraz 2002

Some say that if the light of the moon is just right, the ghost of Cockfighter the horse can be seen galloping through the vineyards of Pooles Rock.

Perhaps. The wine named in his memory is anything but ephemeral, however. Cockfighter’s Ghost Shiraz first greets you with a powerful nose of earth and dark berry fruit. The berry and black plum flavors continue on the palate, supported by some spice, black pepper, and oak. The color is a dense, dark crimson.

After letting this shiraz ‘breathe’ for at least an hour to soften its edges, serve with rare roast beef and field mushrooms, spicy sausages with tomatoes and Italian beans, or oven-roasted rack of lamb.

cockfightersghost.com.au/product/single-vineyard-shiraz-2016/

Tapestry Chardonnay 2005

This chardonnay is an excellent value, with more character than its relatively low price would predict.

The wine spent nine months on-lees in new French oak, and features a very appealing balance of juicy stone fruit and a citrus acidity, supported by the spicy, toasty oak, with a moderately long finish. There was no malo-lactic fermentation. The color is pale straw with green tints.

Serve lightly chilled with coquille St. Jacques, fried calamari, or grilled whole red snapper.

[Unfortunately, Tapestry Wines is now reported closed.}

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