The Epsilon Shiraz 2023 is a plush, medium to full-bodied Barossa Valley Shiraz from Greenock, built on dark plum and spice with a soft, easy line through the middle. Made entirely from Shiraz picked in small batches across a six-week window, it is a generous red that stays fresh rather than heavy.

Blood plum, macerated berries and a little liquorice lead the aroma, with dark chocolate, earth and purple florals sitting behind. The palate carries that fruit through cleanly, picking up fruitcake spice and a twist of peppercorn on the way.

Fruit that has been de-stemmed but not crushed, then cold-soaked for three days, shows in the purity here. Maturation in seasoned French oak keeps the frame quiet, so the tannins read fine and sandy rather than firm, and the finish glides out long and plummy with just enough grip to keep it savoury.

Pour it with lamb shoulder cooked slowly with garlic and rosemary, a beef and mushroom pie, chargrilled sausages, or a wedge of aged cheddar. It also handles a mid-week roast chook with the skin crisped up.

Drinking well from release and holding through to around 2029. Give it half an hour in the decanter if you are opening a young bottle.