The 2022 The Standish Shiraz is again providing me with the opportunity to assess bottles two days apart, and how different they are. The freshly opened bottle, as we would all experience upon our first opening, is tight and fresh, with cracked fennel seed, black peppercorns, cumin and ras el'hanout, then dried blueberries and licorice, hints of arnica and raspberry. It's cool and mineral, with a graphite finish. I cannot overstate how much better the wine tastes after two days. All of the edges smooth out, and it is composed and complete ... what a wine. Balance and harmony in a single swoop. It's savory, though. Super. 14.9% alcohol, sealed under natural cork and foil.

www.robertparker.com

Made with 100% shiraz sourced from the Laycock vineyard in the western parish of Greenock. Deeply coloured with heady, pure fruit of substantial weight and density. Dark plum compote and black berry fruits studded with dark spice, licorice, cassis, earth, dark chocolate, cold tea and wood spice. It's like a piston on the palate, all compression and release, the core of fruit and spice propelled across the palate with impressive cadence. Some lovely fine, chewy, ferrous tannins and a seamless extended finish. Grace and power.

www.winecompanion.com.au