Eileen Hardy Shiraz 2015 - In Bond

Stuart McCloskey, tasted 12th March 2026 "Preparation is important. Stand the bottle upright for a few days before opening to allow the sediment to settle. Decant slowly and give this wine time (2-3-hours). 2015 was a magnificent vintage across McLaren Vale, particularly for Shiraz. The fruit comes from two extraordinary vineyards planted more than 80 years ago, and the pedigree is immediately evident from the first whiff. The bouquet is dense, dark and gloriously brooding. Mulberry, plum, blackcurrant and raspberry coulis cascade from the glass, intertwined with salted liquorice, saltbush (wonderfully delicious eating), iron filings, dark chocolate, bay leaf, pencil shavings, and cedar. With three to four hours in a decanter the wine begins to unfurl beautifully, revealing subtle whispers of clove and black olive. The palate is full-bodied yet exquisitely silken, framed with remarkable precision. Rich, decadent flavours glide effortlessly across the palate while finely sculpted tannins provide the faintest, most elegant grip. Luxurious and undeniably special. Svelte, satiny, and seductively composed. The finish is simply extraordinary - this soars and seems unwilling to return. A magnificent bottle to enjoy now (please follow my preparation advice), yet it has the structure and depth to age effortlessly for a further 15–20 years."

98 Points - James Halliday
"From two old vineyards in McLaren Vale with an average age of over 80yo, wild yeast open-fermented, plunged, basket-pressed. Deeply coloured, this plum, blackberry and dark chocolate wine has countless layers of tightly wound fruit, the gently savoury finish providing flavour and texture balance beyond compare. Oak? Yes, it's there somewhere."

Platinum Award Decanter
"Floral, dark plum, chocolate and coconut nose, the palate has lashings of sweet dark blackberry fruit, lovely well-judged oak, very elegant structure and long satisfying finish of chocolate and spice."