2021 Paringa Estate 'The Paringa' Shiraz

95 POINTS

Ned Goodwin - JamesSuckling.com

Possibly the finest syrah (err, shiraz) out of this cooler, maritime region to date. That sounds like an underhanded compliment. Succinctly, this is excellent! Clove, black pepper grind, tapenade, violet and blood plum. The tannins, gritty and granular, yet finely wrought. Balletic, while straddling the gracious line of fruit and herb, glimpsing the excessive side of neither. The finish, excellent, with a dusting of Indian spice lingering long. Extract, freshness and savory drinkability in spades. Very Rhone-like.

92 POINTS

Jane Faulkner - Halliday Wine Companion

This is a bit like Arnold Schwarzenegger in an ill-fitting suit – all muscles bulging. But adjust the suit to fit and then, all’s well. And so with this shiraz, it’s flexing its weight but needs time to settle. It will. There’s a core of ripe juicy fruit laden with spices, tannins and oak just a bit raspy and firm at the moment.

92 POINTS

Christina Pickard - Wine Enthusiast

From nearly 40-year-old vines in coastal Mornington Peninsula region, this is a richer bottling than the previous vintage, with plump black cherry, green peppercorn, clove and some toasted-coconut oak influence. The full-figured palate is woven with powdery, fine tannins and lifted by lovely acidity that gives the fruit a tang freshness. Still young, it should evolve gracefully over the next several years.

91 POINTS

Erin Larkin - Robert Parker Wine Advocate

The 2021 The Paringa Shiraz is piercingly pretty in the mouth. It is elegant and fine-framed, with an exotic splay of spice, and the acid has an edge to it (almost tart but not quite). It has notes of spring flowers, inflections of sweet meats and plenty of blueberry coulis. It is light-framed through the finish; I'm looking for a little more density or persistence here. 13% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.

Gary Walsh - The Wine Front

When too much Paringa is not enough. This is a very dark and spicy wine, truffle and boot leather, a fair bit of oak, and feels maybe a little baked in fruit profile. It’s medium-bodied, a bit sappy and amaro laced, with toasted spicy oak, and a juicy/tart tomato finish of decent length. Not a lot of charm, to be honest, and kind of intense, and while I think it will always be kind of truffle-laced and tangy, it should soften a bit with time in bottle.