First Drop The Cream Shiraz 2019 – Clearance Deal

The exceptional rating reflects the wine's masterful blending of fruit from three premium Barossa sub-regions - Ebenezer, Seppeltsfield, and Greenock - each contributing distinct characteristics. The 20-month maturation in French and American oak creates remarkable complexity, with the different oak types adding complementary vanilla, spice, and structural elements. This multi-vineyard approach allows First Drop to craft a wine that showcases the best terroir expressions from across the Barossa Valley.

Given its full-bodied structure and premium oak treatment, this Shiraz is built for extended cellaring and should continue developing beautifully for 10-15 years from vintage. The combination of concentrated Barossa fruit, quality oak integration, and the wine's natural acidity will allow the complex flavours of dutch liquorice and baking spices to evolve and integrate further. While drinking magnificently now, patience will be rewarded with even greater depth and tertiary character development.

The wine's distinctive dutch liquorice and tobacco characteristics make it exceptional with rich, savoury dishes that can match its intensity. Consider slow-braised lamb shanks with rosemary, aged beef steaks with peppercorn sauce, or game meats like venison where the earthy, herbal notes will harmonise beautifully. The baking spice elements also pair wonderfully with dishes featuring warming spices like cinnamon-spiced duck or Moroccan-inspired tagines.

The dual oak regime creates a more complex flavour profile than either oak type could achieve alone. French oak contributes elegant tannin structure and subtle spice notes, while American oak adds vanilla sweetness and more pronounced coconut and dill characteristics. This combination allows the winemaker to build layers of complexity that complement the rich Barossa Shiraz fruit, creating the 'mammoth' character described while maintaining balance and sophistication.

Barossa Valley's warm, dry climate and ancient soils produce Shiraz with exceptional concentration and power, evident in this wine's 'deeply layered black fruit palate'. The region's old vine heritage and diverse soil types across sub-regions like Ebenezer and Greenock create wines with remarkable depth and complexity. Unlike cooler climate Shiraz that emphasises pepper and herbs, Barossa expressions showcase rich dark fruits, chocolate, and spice - perfectly demonstrated in this wine's blackberry and blood plum characteristics.