There’s a big red vibe on here this week – here’s another ambitious $150 red for the mix.

The Hewitson Monopole Shiraz 2021 is clonal planting from a single mother vine found in the Old Garden Vineyard. Previous vintages have underwhelmed, but this feels much more right and luscious (in the right way). Deep purple red, it smells of plush plum fruits, a coconut cherry oak mid palate generosity, some oak tannins and then a polished, chocolatey finish. It’s just a little ‘made’, but extravagantly so in a very early noughties Penfolds way. Some American oak would be my guess too. Excellent power and lusciousness, though – it feels like a $100 wine from start to finish.

THE VERDICT

• Best drinking: now and for two decades
• Score (out of 20): 18
• Score (out of 100): 90
• Alcohol %: 13.5
• RRP (in $AUD): 148
• Winery website: https://www.hewitson.com.au/
• Would I buy it?: a few glasses