Pirramimma Geoff Johnston Milestone Shiraz 2020

This wine celebrates Geoff Johnston's 50th vintage, honouring an absolute icon who helped put McLaren Vale on the global wine map. The shiraz comes from vines planted by Geoff and his father 'Digby' back in 1971, giving it nearly five decades of character development. The exceptional 96-point Wine Orbit rating reflects how this milestone bottling captures both the region's signature style and the accumulated wisdom of one of its most respected growers.

Full-bodied shiraz like this delivers intense concentration and weight on the palate, creating what the producer describes as 'knee-weakeningly good' wine. The rich, full-bodied style means you'll experience layers of blackberry, plum, and allspice that coat your mouth with velvety tannins. This weight and intensity make it perfect for hearty dishes and ensure the wine will continue developing complexity over many years in the cellar.

The rich blackberry and plum flavours, combined with warming allspice notes, make this shiraz ideal for robust red meat dishes like grilled lamb, beef roasts, or barbecued steaks. The full-bodied nature can stand up to strong flavours like aged cheeses, game meats, or even spicy cuisines. McLaren Vale's coastal influence adds a subtle freshness that prevents the wine from being overpowering, making it versatile enough for hearty pasta dishes with rich tomato-based sauces.

While this 2020 shiraz is certainly approachable now, wines from 50-year-old vines typically have the structure and concentration to age beautifully for 10-15 years or more. The full-bodied style and high-quality fruit from these mature vines suggest it will develop additional complexity, with the allspice notes becoming more integrated and secondary flavours emerging. Drinking it now reveals its youthful power, but patience will be rewarded with greater elegance and nuance.

The exceptional 96-point Wine Orbit rating reflects the combination of outstanding fruit from 50-year-old vines, expert winemaking, and the unique terroir of McLaren Vale. Critics recognise that wines celebrating milestone vintages often represent a winemaker's finest expression of their craft and vineyard. The 'Five Stars Wine Orbit' rating and 'Iconic Winery' designation acknowledge both the immediate quality and the historical significance of this tribute to Geoff Johnston's five decades of dedication to McLaren Vale shiraz.