Moppity Lock & Key Reserve Shiraz 2012

The Moppity Shiraz wines are typically festooned with medals and, judging by this bottle I can see why.

It’s the sort of style that wins show medals. And fans. Purple red in colour, the nose is overflowing with red and blackberry fruits, black pepper and just a little black earth in a quite sweet form. Interestingly, It’s actually much drier and ballsier than the nose suggests, the palate flush with bitter herbs and blackberry jam. Surprise too in the tannin grunt and raw acid in a sweet and sour mode.

Ultimately this is quite a substantial wine. It smells soft and generous, but the palate is roughly cast, firm and faithfully regional. Certainly much to get your mouth around the dollars.