Reynella Basket Press Shiraz 2017

RRP @ £35.00
By-the-bottle @ £25.00
By-the-sixpack @ £135.00 (£22.50 per bottle)
By the dozen @ £252.00 (£21.00 per bottle)
 

Stuart McCloskey, 10 April 2026 “The fruit was meticulously handpicked and handled with the utmost care before being gently pressed in a historic 98-year-old basket press - an approach that honours both tradition and finesse.

As I noted when tasting the 2016, you simply wouldn’t believe this wine was approaching a decade of age. The colour remains impenetrable (black as night) with only the faintest rim of dark beetroot beginning to emerge.

The aromatics are dreamy and prove that quality at every stage translates into something truly special. Cooling black fruits are cloaked in the most beautiful blanket of graphite and nori. This is head-spinning purity at its very best. I adore the shades of darkness brushed on by a master artist. It feels wonderfully moody after just 20 minutes in the glass. With more air, notes of Dutch black liquorice, umeboshi plum, crème de mûre, exotic spice, roasting meats, wood smoke, espresso, and dried citrus begin to unfurl. If I had to choose one word to capture the perfume, hypnotic would be perfect.

And the flavours and texture? Melt-in-the-mouth, as pure as it comes. I am lost in the wine’s depth, power and finesse (all of it balletic). The fruit expression is off the scale, wrapped in a sheath of minerality and cooling graphite. If you are seeking a powerful Shiraz with finesse and supreme artistry, this is your benchmark.

As I have done, I strongly advocate taking your time with this wine. Choose a large, bowled glass, pour from the bottle, and spend a few hours with it. The changes are remarkable. After an hour, I could easily believe I was drinking a very expensive Côte-Rôtie. The parallels are uncanny - smoked meat, an even meatier savouriness, and a saline edge. Warm earth and a floral lift of violet complete this masterpiece. Drink now and cellar for at least 15-20-years.”