Standish The Standish Shiraz 2024 - 3 Pack

Stuart McCloskey, tasted 24 April 2026 “Inky to the core with a deep violet rim, the wine clings to the glass with an almost oil-like sheen – a visual cue to its scale and intent. The bouquet is quite simply bottomless – profoundly deep and endlessly unfurling (near impossible to fully articulate). Dark fruits arrive in layered register – mulberry, blackberry, crème de mûre and damson before the wine shifts and reveals ever more complexity. Dried florals, coconut, iris and liquorice emerge, followed by mint, warming spice and a distinctly cool, ferrous edge. A faint saline whisper lingers, lifting and refining the whole. Each return to the glass brings new detail. This is not a static aromatic profile, but a constantly evolving, almost hypnotic experience. I struggle to think of another Australian winemaker producing wines of such mesmeric detail and intrigue. These are truly special.

The palate is commanding yet under absolute control. There is immense concentration, but it builds slowly and deliberately rather than arriving in a rush. Black fruits form the core, framed by savoury nuances of olive tapenade, graphite, liquorice root and a subtle herbal inflection. The tannins are abundant yet exquisitely judged – fanning out like the finest silk across the palate, providing both structure and composure against the wine’s saturated intensity. What sets this apart is the tension - power meets polish, weight meets cadence. The texture is plush and flowing, almost creamy in its seamlessness, yet anchored by a cooling mineral drive and savoury depth that keeps everything in check.

The finish is extraordinary – long, resonant and seemingly endless, slowly dissolving into an abyss of dark fruit, spice and mineral nuance. A profoundly complete Shiraz of immense scale and detail. This sits comfortably among Australia’s elite and is built for the long haul. Approachable with extended aeration, but patience will be richly rewarded over decades. Quite possibly a step beyond even the remarkable Schubert Theorem – which, frankly, is saying something.”