97 Points - Jeni Port | Very Limited Stocks
Established in 2021, MMAD is the impressive venture of the quartet behind Shaw + Smith and Tolpuddle, namely; Martin Shaw, Michael Hill Smith MW, Adam Wadewitz and David LeMire MW. Using each letter of their first names to create MMAD (pronounced 'MAD'), this single vineyard label is about focusing on the beauty of Blewitt Springs in South Australia's McLaren Vale.
Representing MMAD's third year tending to the old vines, the 2023 vintage was their latest and coolest vintage yet. The late season gave a wide picking window, allowing the grapes to be harvested at optimal ripeness.
The 2023 MMAD Blewitt Springs Shiraz delivers the vineyard's signature silky mid-palate with long, mineral tannins with remarkable depth of fruit flavour from the old, well-balanced vines. There is light and shade on the palate - driven by pretty red fruit, inset with smatterings of richer blue fruit. Bright acidity and lifted florals bring a delicate element to this beautifully structured Shiraz.
"97 Points. The accompanying wine notes tell of the latest and coolest vintage yet for this vineyard, but the upshot was a wide picking window combined with small, bunches and intense fruit flavours. The result is an absolute stunner of a wine, boasting a layer of what can only - and perhaps a little too lazily - be described as cool climate-inspired spiciness. It’s more inherent than a flat-out feature and to be fair was present in the ’22 release, one ingredient in a complex range of scents and flavours that take in black cherry, plum, cassis with lifted aromatics in rose and pressed flowers and dusty cacao, bitter chocolate and, yes, spices with anise and pepper in the lead. Fruit, oak, tannins and spice are packed tight, an intense youngster that will age a beaut. In the meantime, it’s bright, it dances, it weaves, it’s a seamless engaging young Shiraz of the highest quality. $77. Drink: 2025 - 2037."- Jeni Port, Wine Pilot.
"96 Points. There is so much to love here in a wine that has very swifty gained a following for those that adore both McLaren Vales famed Blewitt Springs and the terroir based wines of the Rhone. It doesn’t emulate or replicate but instead zeros in on the blue fruited, blackberry and lavender tones with gusto whilst serving up all the savoury herbs of a tapas platter. Sandy tannins and so much drinkability – it’s hard to put down. There is a salted licorice note with fine lines of trilling acidity. The cool vintage gives this wine its finesse and it’s a real beauty.. once again. A lovely wine for Caponata on crusty sourdough toast. Drink now or will cellar well for 6-8 years. $77. Drink: 2025 - 2033"- Shanteh Wale, Wine Pilot.
