2019 Paxton MV Shiraz McLaren Vale Australia 750 ml

Single-site bottlings produced from Paxton grapes are hot-ticket collector items: The coveted Mollydooker Velvet Glove Shiraz, sourced from David Paxton’s Gateway Vineyard, costs $195.

But in a deal exclusively available to Wine Access, you can dip into this lively berry-infused Shiraz fashioned from four biodynamically-farmed vineyards and by a Winemaker of the Year for less than the cost of dinner.

From a region of Australia known for density and opulence, this wowed us with its light-footed elegance and freshness, while sacrificing none of its depth or ageability. It’s a style that shows the influence of 2018 Winemaker of the Year Kate Goodman, an alum of Penley, who joined the Paxton team just in team to consult on this standout bottle.

The 2019 Paxton MV Shiraz is juicy, thrillingly vibrant, and alive—a product of pristine McLaren Vale vineyards worked to perfection by an all-star team. Crushed blackberry and candied raspberry fill the glass, while the palate features an assertive sweep of wild violets, hibiscus, vanilla, and cracked pepper. This cuvée hasn’t come at a price this affordable in years, so make haste to grab this opportunity today and stock up.

Ask legendary Australian viticulturist David Paxton what makes this 2019 release so delicious, and he’ll answer in the laconic fashion typical of old farmers: “Good dirt.” But keep him on the phone long enough, as we did, and you begin to understand just what it means to develop vineyards in the painstaking way he has. Strictly reducing inputs, sharply limiting yields, even filling 1,000 cow horns with manure—in accordance with biodynamic practices—and burying them in plots all go into making dirt that’s the envy of McLaren Vale vintners. 

Working in wine since 1979, Paxton has had a hand in the evolution of some of the top estates in Australia, consulting on or managing vines for the likes of Yalumba, Penfolds, Chandon, and Plantagenet. From the early 2000s on, he became a pioneer in the McLaren Vale for biodynamic farming in vineyards, putting the rigorous philosophy across hundreds of acres.

The MV Shiraz cuvée is pulled from four of the main six Paxton vineyards, including the acclaimed Jones Block, and the legendary Thomas Block, home to some of the region’s oldest vines. For all the bursting primary fruit it offers today, it’s got the bones to age beautifully for ten to 15 years—making today's price even harder to resist.