Black licorice, kirsch and Kalamata olive notes are dense and dark, but give way to plush blackberry, blueberry and Earl Grey tea accents. This harmonious version gains complexity on the finish. Drink now

The fruit this year was sourced from McLaren Vale 100%, and despite the warmer vintage, the 2020 The Boxer Shiraz is slightly lower in alcohol than the following 2021 (the product of a cooler vintage—go figure). Here, the 2020 Boxer is more balanced and settled, and whether that is due to an extra year in bottle or the regional sourcing for fruit (methinks a combo of the two), the wine is showing really well. This is a big volume wine—the biggest in the portfolio—but drinks better than that. The immaculate and highly organized winery, which I visited in June, may have something to do with that. Best After 2022