Sidewood Estate Sparkling Shiraz NV - 3x75cl

Stuart McCloskey, tasted 14 July "Sparkling Shiraz remains one of Australia's most distinctive wine styles, yet it is also one of the easiest to get wrong. Too often the wines become heavy, cloying or overly sweet, sacrificing freshness for sheer impact.  Produced from twelve individual Shiraz clones grown across the estate's Adelaide Hills vineyards, the wine gains remarkable complexity before wild yeast fermentation and eighteen months' maturation in large-format French oak add further layers of character and texture.

The colour is wonderfully deep and inviting. Aromas of ripe blackberries, forest berries and red plum leap from the glass, intertwined with raspberry, liquorice, dark chocolate, sweet baking spices and a delicate hint of cinnamon. Beneath the exuberant fruit lies a subtle savoury note that prevents the wine from ever feeling overblown.

The palate is where this wine truly comes alive. The mousse is wonderfully frothy and exuberant, bringing an infectious energy that lifts every flavour. I smiled! Waves of blackberry compote, ripe strawberries and juicy damsons glide effortlessly across the palate, supported by hints of bramble leaf, liquorice, dark cocoa and warm cinnamon biscuits. There is sweetness, certainly, but it is beautifully judged, balanced by vibrant acidity and enough freshness to keep everything lively, poised and immensely drinkable. 

One final confession. I have never been a great champion of Australian Sparkling Shiraz. I admire the very best examples, but often I find myself returning to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. While writing these notes, I absent-mindedly refilled my glass... then did it again... and then a third time. That's probably the highest compliment I can pay it.

Sparkling Shiraz should be joyful, characterful and just a little bit indulgent. Sidewood has captured that spirit beautifully. It's delicious, enormously entertaining and, dare I say it, oddly addictive."