2023 Squid Ink Shiraz – 95pts Halliday GOLD MEDAL

Awards
Gold Medal – CWSA (China Wine & Spirits Awards) – Best Value 2025

Gold Medal – James Halliday Wine Companion 95pts – 2025

Gold  Medal – 5 Stars – Wine Orbit (Sam Kim) 96 points – 2026 (Bold and brooding, the wine is filled with dark fruit richness, with notes of dark chocolate, baking spice, potpourri, and cedar. It’s wonderfully weighted and plush in the mouth, displaying a multi-layered mouthfeel, splendidly structured by beautifully melded tannins, offering terrific drinking. At its best: now to 2039).

See the awards and accolades on previous vintages – Squid Ink Shiraz Awards and Accolades

Name
With our love for the ocean and the stunning coastline on the cusp of McLaren Vale being the reason for calling this fantastic little town home, it made sense to name our Reserve Shiraz in honour of this. The Squid Ink name originated from the enticing first impression of the black, dye like depth of colour this wine resonates.

Vineyard

This Estate owned vineyard is the epitome of what defines one of the greatest vineyards in Australia where the famous Black Bay of Biscay Clay soil consistently ensures fantastic depth of colour and flavour. Positioned at about 120m above sea level and 8kms inland this North/ South facing vineyard in the heart of McLaren Vale is referred to by some local friends as ‘Mayfair’. Implementing sustainable viticulture and having true respect for the value of our vineyards and the fruit they create. The 2021 vintage delivered a respectable crop size and exemplary quality in our Shiraz blocks. With near perfect ripening conditions with mild temperature and cool nights the vines thrived.

Winery
In the winery the Squid Ink Shiraz fruit is treated with utmost respect, ensuring quality from start to finish. In open ferments the fruit has a 3-day cold soak prior to slow, cool (18 degree) fermentation for gentle extraction of colour flavour, and tannin into the wine. Batches are kept separate where 5 different yeasts strains are used to enhance complexity and mouth feel of the wine. Following fermentation, the wine is then matured in the finest predominately new American oak barrels for 18 months.

Winemaker
Campbell Greer.

Vintage
2023

Variety
Shiraz 100%

Maturation
18 Months in American Oak Hogsheads, 55% new oak, 45% older oak.

Region
McLaren Vale 100%

Alcohol
14.5%

Colour: Deep intense dark, almost black with a purple hue.

Nose: Lifted and expressive Boysenberry compote with swirls of liquorice.

Palate: Once again, there is a timeless symphony between the fruit concentration and the oak. A non-disruptive flow from fruit to oak, channels the mouth through the full length of the palate. Your undivided attention is needed here as the complexity deepens with each sip, pulling on the umami flavours and building on an exciting and developing profile.

This wine, like our lives, is wonderful in youth, but with patience and development of the wines fruit, along with the integration of the finest of oak this wine will also age wonderfully and reward those that wait.

Potential: 10+ years.