Domaine Asmara Reserve Shiraz 2018 from Heathcote is a seriously deep, powerful Shiraz, dripping with dark fruit and classic Cambrian‑soil richness. It comes off hand‑tended vines, hand‑picked, wild‑yeast fermented in open bins, partially barrel‑fermented, then basket‑pressed and matured in French barriques for 10 months – all the hallmarks of meticulous small‑batch winemaking.

In the glass it is deep crimson, almost opaque, with a lifted nose of dark berries dipped in chocolate, plum and blackcurrant, plus subtle spice and oak complexity. The palate is full‑bodied and viscous, loaded with dark fruit flavour, great balance of richness and fine‑grained tannins, and a very long, satisfying finish that explains its 95 points and gold medals from Wine Showcase and Winestate.

Domaine Asmara Reserve Shiraz 2018 is made for hearty fare – think grilled rib‑eye, slow‑braised beef cheeks, lamb shanks, smoky BBQ, rich stews and a slab of aged cheddar or other hard cheeses. At 15‑plus percent alcohol with serious concentration, it’s excellent now after a long decant, but also a strong candidate for further cellaring to develop more savoury, leathery complexity.