The fruit for the 2019 Shiraz The Beast is plucked from 20- to 25-year-old vines from (mainly) a single site on the Hentley Farm estate. It was basket pressed and matured for 22 months in 60% new French oak. 2019 was a warm, dry vintage, and the confluence of style and seasonal conditions is worn really well here. In my opinion, the Barossa has the potential to exude a very savory, red dirt/earth character in the best Shirazes, and it is the clearest indication of region that I can think of in this context. There is great diversity in the Barossa, but that character seems to shine through it all. Here, it is in spades and sets the wine up for great success in the mouth. Concentrated fruit, round tannins and a swathe of plush fruit make up the whole here—and it's a goodie. Wonderful wine. Big.

It's hard to determine which I prefer between the 2019 and 2018 Shiraz The Beast. This 2018 is decidedly more pure, more supple and more red-fruited, with a clarity on the mid-palate that is both startling and comforting. I am more drawn to this style of Shiraz, however the trueness and authenticity of the 2019 wine is hard to bypass. This 2018 is red, pure and almost feline in its slink (the acidity is slightly more pronounced here), while the 2019 is brooding, earthy, dense and mysterious. Your call. Both excellent.

The hulking 2016 Shiraz The Beast is a fine, fine specimen. Cola, mocha and cedar accents give extra depth and dimension to the rich raspberry and plum fruit on the nose, while supple tannins add the impression of feline grace to this full-bodied Shiraz. It's a big, rich wine, but beautifully proportioned, with a long, velvety finish. To borrow a line from Austin Powers, this is one sexy beast!

Appealingly ripe and round blackberry and blueberry flavors are plush and generous, with details of chai tea, black walnut and caramel on a velvety body. Drink now through 2029. 1,000 cases made, 100 cases imported.??–MW??Region: Australia / Barossa / Barossa Valley Select to Add

The 2015 Shiraz The Beast looks to have the stuffing to go 20 years. Imagine a rich, deeply scented spice cake dotted with perfectly ripened black cherries, served in liquid yet savory form. Full-bodied, creamy and densely concentrated, this muscular offering picks up intriguing hints of pepper and licorice on the long, firmly tannic finish. Try after 2022.