Main & Cherry Clarendon Shiraz 2022 from the high, cool reaches of Clarendon in McLaren Vale is a dark, brooding yet polished Shiraz, marrying McLaren richness with genuine lift and freshness. This Main & Cherry Clarendon Shiraz 2022 is very much a flagship style – concentrated, expressive and built for both pleasure and a bit of cellaring.

In the glass, expect waves of blue and black fruits – blueberry, blackberry and dark cherry – layered with cocoa, black olive, dried herbs and a savoury, meaty edge. There’s plush fruit weight, but the tannins are fine and chalky rather than heavy, and a line of acidity keeps the palate driving, with spice and dark chocolate rolling out through a long, satisfying finish.

On the table, it’s spot–on with grilled or roast lamb, char–grilled ribeye, barbecue beef short ribs and slow–cooked casseroles, where that rich fruit and savoury complexity soak up smoke and char. It’s also superb with hard cheeses, charcuterie, roast beetroot or mushroom dishes, and any hearty winter fare – a proper fireside red that still shows the finesse of its elevated Clarendon site.