2023 Shiraz Art Series

It may be too early to call for certain, but the 2023 season in Western Australia, specifically in Margaret River, is shaping up to be one of the very best. And I make that comment with 2018 front of mind. The season was mild, dry (mostly) and long, and it seems to have extracted the best from most producers, in all regions, across all varieties in Western Australia. A very exciting consistency of condition occurred. I, for one, have been actively putting my money where my mouth is and investing in wines from this vintage. I know I'll regret it if I don't. The 2023 Art Series Shiraz, which at this stage is pre-release, shows precision and detail on the nose, with raspberry leaf tea and iodine, blood and blood orange, licorice and milk chocolate. In the mouth, the acidity is intense, but it works so nicely within the layers of gently settled tannins—like sheets of tissue paper. It's a lovely wine, wearing the benefits of intensive viticultural work and matching effort in the winery.