Red Claw Shiraz 2021 by Yabby Lake from Heathcote is a plush, crowd‑pleasing Victorian Shiraz that’s all about bright, dark fruit and silky power without getting heavy or overcooked. It’s classic Heathcote – generous, purple‑fruited and deeply satisfying. This Red Claw Shiraz 2021 bursts from the glass with dark berries, blackberry, plum and black cherry, layered with lifted spice, cloves, mocha, a touch of pepper and a subtle hint of oak.

The palate is rich and fleshy yet beautifully balanced, loaded with dark berry fruit intensity, plush black fruits and gentle chocolatey notes wrapped in silky tannins and well‑judged oak. There’s plenty of flavour and length, but the structure and freshness keep it from ever feeling syrupy, delivering a long, seamless, moreish finish that overdelivers for the price.

Red Claw Shiraz 2021 is a cracking match for grilled steaks, barbecued lamb, snags, slow‑cooked beef cheeks or a rich, cheesy lasagne – anything with char, fat and savoury depth. It’s drinking brilliantly now but has the stuffing to sit happily in the cellar for a good five to eight years if you like your Shiraz softer and more savoury with time.