Australia

• 2016 Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy
• Gold Medal and the Trophy for Best Cabernet Sauvignon
• Max Schubert Trophy for Most Outstanding Red Wine in Show
• Top Gold at the 2016 Royal Adelaide Wine Show

18.5 Points - Jancis Robinson
98 Points - Ray Jordan
97 Points - James Halliday
96 Points - Decanter

97 Points - James Halliday

A 70/15/10/5% blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, malbec and petit verdot planted in '69, matured for 20 months in 100% new French barriques. Deep crimson-purple, it proclaims its regal birth with the first whiff of the bouquet, the first sip of the palate. Always great, this medium to full-bodied wine pushes past previous vintages with the sheer perfection of its flavour profile, mouthfeel, and, above all else, its balance.

98 Points - Joe Czerwinski (RobertParker.com)

Produced from vines planted in 1905 overlooking Flaxman Valley, Hobbs's 2015 1905 Shiraz was made with the assistance of neighbor Chris Ringland. Despite being aged in 100% new French oak puncheons, raspberry and chocolate aromas mark the nose, while the palate is full-bodied and creamy-textured. The wine is dense yet fresh, vibrant and actually made my hair stand on end when I tasted it—it's that exhilarating to taste such a magical amalgam of richness and drinkability. At around 150 cases produced, it may not be easy to find, but for true Shiraz lovers it should be a required quest.

96 Points - Joe Czerwinski (RobertParker.com

Owner Greg Hobbs jokes that the 2015 Gregor Shiraz is their "big-production wine," because he bottles 500-600 cases annually. The grapes are picked a bit earlier than those for the 1905 Shiraz and then air-dried on racks before being crushed and fermented. Scents of smoke and black pepper emerge on the nose of this fantastically concentrated elixir. It's full-bodied and unabashedly rich, with notes of cracked pepper, chocolate and dark fruit supported by silky tannins and a long finish. It should drink well for a decade or more.

96 Points - Joe Czerwinski (RobertParker.com) 

This wine was made together with Sean, Bridget and Jessica Hobbs, their 'kids', or Tin Lids as they were often called. Their youthful influence on this traditional Aussie blend has resulted in a vibrant wine with the fresh herbal flavours of Cabernet merging seamlessly with the rich dark red and blackberry flavours of Shiraz. 

On the nose, you’ll find liquorice and blackberry essence, spicy notes of pepper and sage with a hint of freshly picked mint, meaty and savoury aromas and subtle notes of cedar. The palate is full-bodied with dark red and blackberry flavours and the lovely herbaceous characteristics of Cabernet Sauvignon The wine has a fresh acidity, very fine grain tannins and a long perfumed finish.

99 Points -  Joe Czerwinski (RobertParker.com)

I suspect the 2016 Lamella Shiraz will be the longest lived of Standish's impressive 2016 releases. Sourced from Hutton Vale, it was made using 100% whole clusters and does appear slightly more tannic than the other bottlings. It starts with gorgeous florals, mint and blueberries, which carry onto the full-bodied, concentrated palate. It's richly tannic and velvety, with tremendous length.

Available from Monday 24th September

99 Points - Joe Czerwinski (RobertParker.com)

Everything about Standish's 2016 The Relic Shiraz-Viognier is remarkable, starting with the ridiculous color. It's so dark, so purple, so vibrant. Then the nose boasts soaring florals and stone fruits, while the palate delivers fresh blueberries and dried spices. It's full-bodied but creamy-textured, with supple tannins and concentrated fruit that lingers on the plush finish. Just awesome stuff.

99 Points - Joe Czerwinski (RobertParker.com)

Everything about Standish's 2016 The Relic Shiraz-Viognier is remarkable, starting with the ridiculous color. It's so dark, so purple, so vibrant. Then the nose boasts soaring florals and stone fruits, while the palate delivers fresh blueberries and dried spices. It's full-bodied but creamy-textured, with supple tannins and concentrated fruit that lingers on the plush finish. Just awesome stuff.

98 Points - Joe Czerwinski (RobertParker.com)

From a Marananga vineyard, Standish's 2016 The Schubert Theorem Shiraz is even darker hued than The Relic. Blueberries, licorice and violets appear on the nose, while the full-bodied palate is rich and creamy-textured, growing more tannic and savory on the nearly endless finish. Monolithic and young, give this at least a couple of years to become more approachable.

99 Points - Joe Czerwinski (RobertParker.com)

Dan's 2016 The Standish Shiraz comes from a vineyard in the Greenock subregion. It's inky in color, loaded with plum, blueberry and raspberry fruit. Full-bodied, creamy-textured and rich, it's intense, concentrated and long beyond belief, picking up hints of licorice along the way. Nearly embryonic, it will need at least a couple of years to show more than the primary fruit.