Elderton Command Shiraz 2017

This does command respect thanks to the fruit coming off 123yo vines and the care with it from that moment right through to the winemaking. It is powerful and divine. Lush with dark fruit coated with chocolate, pepper, and coffee. The palate feels all velvety with the tannins neatly placed, the oak integrated, and with a glass in hand, a sense that all's well with the world.

2017 was a challenging season for the region with several rain events, but this wine has nailed it with a slightly less overt and more restrained style than previous vintages, although still within the established style of Command. It gets 30 months in a mix of French and American oak, a combination that remains important to the style. Importantly it is still 100% new oak. The wine has been crafted into such a seamless and smoothly textured wine, benefitting no doubt from the vines which are now 127 years old. The chalky tannin feel contributes greatly to the appealing texture and mouthfeel. Rich dark chocolate and lush primary fruits with a spicy vanillin overlay. Dense and concentrated yet with a degree of subtlety and finesse with a palate that sits more in the medium weight zone than the more traditional big boy full body.