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, this single vineyard label is about focusing on the beauty of Blewitt Springs in South Australia's McLaren Vale.
Representing MMAD's fourth year tending to the old vines, the 2024 vintage releases from MMAD are receiving widespread acclaim. The 2024 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. This has been the surprise packet of the MMAD wines, with it duelling for position with the grenache and chenin blanc. Some whole bunch, concrete and oak vat for ferment, then raised in older, larger oak, as usual. Saint-Joseph resonances. Evocatively aromatic and spicily so. Smoky, darkly mineral. Blackberry pastille, tapenade, lavender, grilled game meat, crème de violette, iodine and nori, star anise, ground clove, allspice, green and black peppercorns, malted barley, freshly ground coffee, powdery rust. Like the grenache, the nose holds such intrigue, demands attention. That’s matched by the silky flow of the old-vine fruit on the palate and the superfine natural tannin. This is blisteringly good, again."- Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion.
"97 Points. A briar of black fruit and savoury, creeping herbs—bilberry, dark cherry and pepperberry layered with notes of kombu, coastal rosemary and wild, untamed greens. There’s an earthiness here too: turned soil and dark, stony sand grounding the aromatic lift. It feels like an afternoon bush walk—banksia brushing past, scrub at your ankles—so vivid is its sense of place and transportive quality. Powder-fine tannins settle gently through the mid-palate, while olive tapenade, nigella seed and a touch of twiggy oak lend structure and savoury detail, supporting the core of blackberry fruit. This is full flavoured, detailed with its own distinctive character but sits in a medium to full body for its freshness and brightness. You won’t forget this experience any time soon. Try this with Lamb chops and old school mint sauce and reinvent the marriage of the two. Old school dish and very new school modern wine."- Shanteh Wale, Winepilot.
