2014 Ares Barossa Valley/McLaren Vale Shiraz Two Hands

The 2014 Shiraz Ares is the flagship Shiraz and is a barrel selection that sees two years in new and once used French oak. Inky colored, with a sumptuous bouquet of ripe black fruits, smoked meats, menthol, exotic spices, and hints of scorched earth, it stays tight and compact on the palate, with full- bodied richness, a big, dense mid-palate, and a big finish. It's holding things close to its vest and I suspect will be better with two to three years of bottle age and should keep for a decade.

Red Massive, dense and concentrated, with espresso, dark chocolate and dried herb flavors that work with the wall of dense tannins and the concentrated flavors of cassis and blackberry. Remains tight, with gravelly tannins on the finish, showing glimpses of a terrific wine that needs time to unwind. Best after 2020.-M.W.