A great season vintage almost invariably means fruit is in terrific physical condition. Fortunately, the season was warm without many heat spikes, and our balanced vine canopies and row orientation provide shelter that means that shrivelled or sunburnt fruit is very rare at Pindarie. And if the vines have good leaf cover and prevent sunburn, Shiraz loves the gentle heat; it ensures good flavour development and excellent colour.

Which is what you see! It oozes spice, hints blackberry, and a whiff of liquorice. It's a rich, full-flavoured, generous wine, but we also need to point out that the generosity is built on a frame of savoury, dense tannin. So our '16 Western Ridge also has the structure to age, and work with a range of foods (always how we prefer that you enjoy it!)

Age it for 2-3 years for gentle complexity, or for 8‑10 for rich, gentle, leathery softness.