Paxton 2019 Quandong Farm Shiraz (McLaren Vale)

There's a lot from the winemaking toolbox here, which is a shame since the techniques mask the sensitively gown fruit and leave one wanting a simpler approach. The whole-bunch characteristics on the nose stand out, a heady combo of stalks, cinnamon, cloves and cola-like oak that obscure the red and black berry fruit. Powerful, drying tannins never quite mesh with the juicy fruit, and the oak stands in another corner. It's tough to see whether this powerful and concentrated wine will ever find its way. Christina Pickard