Yangarra King's Wood Shiraz 2023

What a delight it is to have a suite of 13.5% alcohol McLaren Vale reds with flavour volume. That’s a viticultural triumph for sure, especially in a problematic year like 2023. This is lush, richly farmed McLaren Vale Shiraz too. Sourced from a south-facing block on the Yangarra Vineyard and matured in large oak foudres (French and Austrian). Unforced it is, too, with lovely purple fruit and a layer of coffee grain oak – probably the only wine I see oak in throughout this lineup. The oak largely adds more mid-palate weight to it. Polished, inviting, lush and everything in the right place. Perhaps the only quibble is that it feels a bit light on intensity and tannic follow-through, but what a welcoming wine. Points: 94/100

ozwinereview.com ∙ 10th Jul 2025

Very deep and bright purple-red colour, glowing in the glass. Powerful intensity of black pepper, aniseed, blackberry, dried and cured meat aromas, all in remarkable detail for such a young shiraz. Glorious mouth-filling flavour of intensity and vitality, the energy positively bursting through the mouth with vitality and persistence. A smashing shiraz now, and is sure to have a great future.  Points: 96/100

The Real Review ∙ 25th May 2025

This is a smoky, malty wine with rich plum, peppercorn, toast, hazelnut and sandalwood characters purring thorough the palate. It’s both grunty and soft, with firm-but-integrated tannin leading the way through a smoky, bacon-like, coffeed finish. It’s substantial but it’s neat; it’s hefty but there’s genuine breadth to the flavours. This should be at its best in the medium term. 93+ Points: 93/100

The Wine Front ∙ 15th May 2025

From the 2.3ha Block 12, a southeast-facing sand and ironstone outcrop; 20% whole bunch, with 80% sorted and crushed; matured in 2500L French and Austrian oak for 16 months. This opens with a little reductive cloak, which is appealing in itself, if a little occluding of the fruit. Initially at least. There’s a Rhône-like feel, with a spicy, smoky angle. Fruit flavours roll through blackberry pastille, blueberry, tart boysenberry and black cherry, accented with malted barley, rolling tobacco, roasted meat, freshly ground coffee, star anise, cassia and allspice. There’s an underlying finesse here, as with all the '23s, both red and white. Excellent. Points: 96/100

Halliday Wine Companion ∙ 9th May 2025

The 2023 Shiraz King's Wood is a more gently framed expression under this label, with cola, dried meat and clove aromas with a subtle dusting of celery salt. Young and tightly bound, the oak is a little heavy-handed for the underlying fruit ripeness, which tightens up on the finish.  Points: 91/100

Vinous ∙ 23rd Apr 2025