The color is dense and deep, bright and lively crimson-red. Rampant scents derived from kitchen (winery) and garden (vineyard) ... A wine-loving forensic sniff or two, rather than an imagined spectrophotometric analysis reveals: Venison carpaccio with a sweet balsamic reduction and freshly-pressed olive oil. Or, uncured pastrami? A salsa verde type-emulsion with an emphasis on the parsley and extra virgin olive oil. Add tomato, omit lemon. Enough of the savoury - wafts of sticky rice pudding, apricot pip, vanillin pod and coconut husk. Subtle sweet and spiced sandalwood, ground cumin and wintergreen notes remind of an eighteen-month sabbatical in oak. On the palate, where to start?! An advancing wave of flavours, understated power and charm. The swell builds and a more persuasive wave follows ... and then more, with each sip. In an attempt to unravel and articulate this 'ingestion' ... The flavours: Laden with shiraz fruits from the Barossa to the North and McLaren to the South - 'maritime' and 'continental' climatic/varietal diversity. Red and black liquorice, soy and malt, burnt vanilla marshmallow ... Dark chocolate, wrapped in a satiny copha/beeswax candle-like coating. Supple oak nuances - dexterously integrated, no doubt compliments of barrel ferment (and our valued long-time Barossa cooper). Mouthfeel is creamy/velvety, rather than blocky/chunky at this youthful stage in bottle. Tannins are tight, creating a dense coating, with a 'rusty' edge. Ebullient acidity, whilst lively and racy, is well-managed and protective. To borrow a recently read descriptor - "cherry stone minerality" ... The impression: Swamped by a Barossa ferrous dustiness ... regionally captured so persuasively with this 2017 vintage. Demands air.