From a 110-year-old vineyard of ungrafted Shiraz, Mount Edelstone is one of Australia's national treasures. True to Henschke's signature style, there's a spiced vegetal streak that's unique, almost mysterious. Aromas of grilled plum, blueberry and red-onion jam mingle with cumin-spiced roast beets, tomato leaf, white pepper and dried floral nuances. The palate is densely structured with a plush silkiness to the fruit that's reined in by earthy spiced, fine tannins. Poised and harmonious, with at least a decade of age ahead of it.

Spicy, earthy and meaty with lots of dark fruit. Walnuts and mahogany, too. Full-bodied and juicy with lovely, decadent fruit. So juicy. Gorgeous shiraz. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

Hung deli meat, star anise and blackberry adorn the nose of the 2017 Mount Edelstone Vineyard Shiraz. Discerning this is akin to peering over the counter at an Italian deli, with meat, cheeses and garlic hanging from the ceiling: it's enveloping and welcome. On the palate, the wine is bright and concentrated, with layers of salted blueberry, licorice and staunch (yet fine) tannins. It has flexibility and pliability, but it also has shape and form—all of it encased in a medium-bodied shell. It is savory and lean above all else, with bacon fat adorning all edges.