Winemaker: Marco Cirillo

A Shiraz + Cabernet made by my mate Marco Cirillo, who also crafts the Otherness 440 Cabernet

We have dialled back the usual patina of oak influence that often dominates these claret blends and thus reveal a smorgasbord of aromas and flavours that are often obscured.  Here we breathe in scents of sarsaparilla, coffee grounds, burdock, violets, damp red loam, muddy suede shoes, black currant pastilles and pickled cherries, all seasoned with pink peppercorns and mace.

South Australian claret blends often seem to me to be old white man wines, poured in exclusive gentlemens’ clubs and high-end steak restaurants. This is a more boyish expression. It’s light on its feet, fresh, unencumbered by oak, extract or alcohol. At the same time, it feels wholesome and plush. The poached plum red fruit flavours are overlaid by suggestions of sumac, pomegranate molasses and milk chocolate.

To read more about how this wine came to be, click here – It all started in 1978 ‘BOOM, BUST & AN EAR FULL OF CIDER’.