Earthy and medium-bodied rather than big and ripe, the 2023 Dalwood Estate Shiraz is a classic Hunter Valley shiraz made in the region's traditional style.

Red and black plum sit alongside turned earth, leather and cracked pepper, giving the wine a savoury edge that Hunter shiraz has long been known for. The palate carries that same earthy character through the middle rather than leading purely with fruit, with a faint dried-herb note that surfaces late.

Tannins are soft to medium, acidity is moderate, and the finish is smooth and savoury rather than powerful; this is a shiraz built around balance, not size. It never feels like it's straining for extra weight, which is very much the point of the style.

It suits classic Sunday-roast lamb, a hearty meat pie, or a wedge of aged cheddar, food that matches its savoury, medium-bodied character.

Hunter shiraz has a long track record of ageing gracefully into something softer and more earthy still, and this has the structure to do the same over the next five or so years.