Standish The Standish Shiraz 2022

"The 2022 release as a whole is the most balanced, most exciting release of Standish Shiraz to date. It has confirmed that Standish is one of the greatest, if not the greatest Shiraz producer in this country."  Erin Larkin

Dan Standish has the Barossa Valley running through his veins. A 6th Generation native, Dan created his Standish label in 1999 whilst still working at Torbreck. Today his wines are some of the most highly sought-after in the world and are critically acclaimed both here in Australia and internationally.

"I cannot overstate how much better the wine tastes after two days. All of the edges smooth out, and it is composed and complete ... what a wine. Balance and harmony in a single swoop. It's savory, though. Super."  Erin Larkin, Wine Advocate - 98 points

Erin Larkin reviews the 2022 Standish The Standish Shiraz (6:01 into the video)

Expert reviews

"The 2022 The Standish Shiraz is again providing me with the opportunity to assess bottles two days apart, and how different they are. The freshly opened bottle, as we would all experience upon our first opening, is tight and fresh, with cracked fennel seed, black peppercorns, cumin and ras el'hanout, then dried blueberries and licorice, hints of arnica and raspberry. It's cool and mineral, with a graphite finish. I cannot overstate how much better the wine tastes after two days. All of the edges smooth out, and it is composed and complete ... what a wine. Balance and harmony in a single swoop. It's savory, though. Super. 14.9% alcohol, sealed under natural cork and foil. Drink 2024-2047."  Erin Larkin, Wine Advocate - 98 points

"Pop and pour: Very exotic, a whole lot of structure, black tea, some pepper, iodine, lively acidity, so much black tea tannin and depth. It’s almost painfully intense now. Shows maybe a little booziness, but gee it’s really tight. Very intense! 96 points.

Open for two days: Surprisingly peppery and exotically spiced, blue and black fruits, it has precision and bright but fine acidity which really marks it out, and structurally it’s the wine that has the bone structure and carriage that pushes it well beyond the usual Barossa pack. Tannin is all chalk dust and spicy grip, and the finish is very long and pure. It has a strong Earl Gray tea character too. So much tea. I like tea, and I like it strong. Excellent. 96+ though it’s touch and go for 97. Either way, I reckon the best Standish The Standish to date, and a candidate for wine of the vintage from this producer."  Gary Walsh, The Wine Front - 96+ points

"From the Laycock Family Vineyard which is in the Greenock parish of Barossa Valley. The 2022 release certainly have a distinct presence and potency in the glass, which could be a calling card of Standish, of course, though tannin profile is lighter and finer in 2022 overall, is an observation. They’re a bit more potent and powerful in a way. No slouching in cred, just a theme.

Midnight black colour. Whoosh! There’s incredible density and concentration here, but such focus and an attractive lift to the wine that seems counterintuitive to how much is going on. Marrakesh market stall scents and flavours, with dark cherry, rose hip tea, black tea, graphite, cardamom and caraway seed spices too. It’s incredible how much of a event this wine is, but how much finesse is here too. Epic stuff. IMAX movie theatre vibes. Immersive, is the gist, and done so well. Drink 2024-2040."  Mike Bennie, The Wine Front - 96 points

"Made with 100% shiraz sourced from the Laycock vineyard in the western parish of Greenock. Deeply coloured with heady, pure fruit of substantial weight and density. Dark plum compote and black berry fruits studded with dark spice, licorice, cassis, earth, dark chocolate, cold tea and wood spice. It's like a piston on the palate, all compression and release, the core of fruit and spice propelled across the palate with impressive cadence. Some lovely fine, chewy, ferrous tannins and a seamless extended finish. Grace and power. Drink: 2024-2044."  Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion - 96 points

The standish

100% Shiraz. Sourced from the Laycock Family Vineyard, Greenock. Planted on own roots in 2002 (5.39 Hectare – 9ft x 6ft spacing). Dan Standish has worked closely with this great vineyard since 2005. Ironstone gravels and layered schist on a bedrock of solid ironstone at 314m above sea level. With its easterly aspect protecting it from the harsh western afternoon sun and the gentle sloped gravels draining away any untimely excess rainfall. Bedded deep on their own roots in fragmented ironstone and layered schist this Shiraz clone is in its element.

"Right clone, right aspect, it's all about the place. Ironstone gravels and layered schist on a bedrock of solid ironstone at 314m above sea level."  Dan Standish 

About the Winery

Dan Standish has the Barossa Valley running through his veins. A 6th Generation native, Dan created his Standish label in 1999 whilst still working at Torbreck. Today his wines are some of the most highly sought-after in the world and are critically acclaimed both here in Australia and internationally.

Standish Wine Company is a strikingly beautiful winery located in the Barossa Valley. The winery and vineyards are owned by Dan and Nicole Standish. Dan was first introduced to the art of pruning grape vines by his grandfather at the young age of six in their ancestral vineyard. He founded The Standish Wine Company in 1999 after securing a section of his family vineyard in the Barossa Valley. The same ancient plants that Dan carefully hand pruned are now used to produce his old vine shiraz, fittingly titled 'The Relic'.

Dan and Nicole work side by side at their modern, cavernous winery. The large stone and brick building is framed by lavender bushes and grand old vines. They purchased the site in 2013 a decade after it was built by French-managed company The Colonial Estate. The structure is like something straight out of France's Rhone Valley or Spain's Rioja, both parts of the world that Dan has worked in. He also made wine in California's Napa and Sonoma Valleys, before working for Torbreck. 

The estate produces a number of examples of Barossa Shiraz, including 'The Relic', 'The Standish', The Schubert Theorem and Lamella. Each wine is produced with the utmost attention to detail, blending traditional techniques with modern technology.