2018 The Standish Shiraz The Standish (Pre-arrival)

The 2018 The Standish Shiraz (a sample blend from barrel) is a bit stalky (it’s about 50% whole cluster), but it’s gorgeously perfumed, with hints of herbal tea, raspberries, blackberries and licorice. It just exudes complexity, while also being full-bodied, plush and creamy, with a long, elegant finish. This seamless beauty is a candidate for perfection.

After reviewing the stunning 2016s last year, I was excited to try the 2017s and 2018s at Dan Standish’s small winery. The 2017 vintage, said Dan, was his biggest ever, yet he bottled the least wine. “With its long, slow, even ripening, it’s probably the ideal vintage to show the different [Barossa] subregions,” he said. Each of the named wines comes from a specific vineyard in a different part of Barossa. The Relic comes from Krondorf, Schubert Theorem from Marananga, The Standish from Greenock, Lamella from Eden Valley and Andelmonde from Light Pass. Generally, the wines see about 20% new oak (all French), with the proportion of whole clusters varying, depending on the vintage and the vineyard. Also depending on the vintage, Standish bottles all, some or none of the wines, with any barrels that don’t make the cut being sold in bulk. After his blockbuster 2016s, the 2017s come across as slightly less complete yet still delicious, while the 2018s—”a typical Barossa vintage,” according to Standish—look extremely promising.