Macaw Creek Em’s Table Preservative Free Shiraz 2023: Tasting Notes

WINE STYLE → Smooth Operator (Soft & Supple)

Rich blackberry and ripe plum give this organic, preservative-free Shiraz plenty of generosity, with a gentle thread of vanillin oak adding warmth and depth. Despite the dark fruit, it stays medium-bodied and supple rather than becoming a heavyweight. Fine tannins frame a round, soft, mouthfilling palate and an easy dry finish. From the Limestone Coast and made without added preservatives, this is classic Em’s Table: generous Australian Shiraz shaped for smooth, approachable drinking.

Highlights

• Certified organic, preservative free and vegan friendly
• Crafted by Macaw Creek — Rod Hooper has more than 40 vintages of winemaking experience
• Ripe blackberry and plum with gentle vanillin oak
• Organic Shiraz from South Australia’s Limestone Coast
• Fine tannins with a round, soft, mouthfilling texture
• 14.0% ABV

Tasting Notes

Ripe blackberry and plum sit at the heart of this Shiraz, joined by a gentle vanillin-oak note that adds warmth without overwhelming the fruit. The palate is generous and mouthfilling but stays around medium-bodied in shape, with fine tannins rather than a big drying grip. Dark fruit carries through the finish, leaving the wine smooth, rounded and satisfyingly dry.

Winemaking

Made from SXC certified organic Shiraz and produced without added preservatives. Macaw Creek’s approach to Em’s Table focuses on ripe, healthy organic fruit and careful winemaking, retaining generous varietal flavour while keeping the texture soft and approachable. Gentle oak influence contributes the subtle vanilla character, while fine tannins provide structure without making the wine hard or aggressive.

Vineyard & Vintage

The 2023 Em’s Table Shiraz is from South Australia’s Limestone Coast, a broad southern wine region strongly influenced by the Southern Ocean. Macaw Creek sources certified organic fruit for its Em’s Table range from premium South Australian regions, including the Limestone Coast. For this release the combination of ripe blackberry and plum, 14% alcohol and fine tannin structure creates a generous but balanced expression of organic Australian Shiraz.

Why We Love It

Preservative-free reds can sometimes be all about the credential; this one has plenty to offer in the glass as well. Blackberry and plum are rich and comforting, the vanillin oak adds just enough warmth, and the tannins remain soft and fine. It is generous without being overly heavy — an easy red for anyone who loves Shiraz but prefers smooth texture over muscular structure.

Food Pairing

The combination of dark fruit, soft tannins and gentle oak makes this a natural partner for slow-cooked dishes, mushrooms, lamb and richly flavoured sauces. Earthy vegetarian dishes work particularly well because they complement the wine’s darker, savoury side without overwhelming its soft structure.

Try matching this wine with →

• Slow-cooked lamb shoulder with rosemary and garlic — Find a Recipe
• Mushroom and red wine pie — Find a Recipe
• Beef and mushroom stroganoff — Find a Recipe

Mood or occasion to match this wine…

Cold night, something slowly cooking and no need to make dinner complicated. It has enough richness for a Sunday roast but is soft and approachable enough to open with a bowl of pasta midweek.

Cellaring

Drink now for its generous blackberry and plum fruit and soft texture. It has enough fruit and tannin for short-term cellaring of around 2–3 years under good conditions, but preservative-free wine is best enjoyed relatively young. Once opened, reseal, refrigerate and ideally finish within 1–2 days.

Producer

Macaw Creek is a family-owned South Australian producer established by winemaker Rod Hooper and his family in the early 1990s. Rod and his partner Em share a long-standing commitment to handcrafted organic wine, with vineyard health and high-quality organic fruit at the centre of their approach. Em’s Table is Macaw Creek’s premium organic range, sourcing fruit from regions including the Clare Valley, Mount Lofty Ranges and Limestone Coast. Rod also has an unusually long history with preservative-free winemaking, including research into producing wine without added preservatives at Charles Sturt University. The result is a producer with genuine experience in both certified-organic farming and preservative-free wine.

Related Wines To Try →

If you enjoy soft, dark-fruited Shiraz made without added preservative, these are natural next steps:

• Blackberry, dark chocolate and spice in another organic preservative-free Macaw Creek Shiraz — Macaw Creek Organic Preservative Free Shiraz
• Explore more smooth, naturally expressive Shiraz without added preservative — Preservative Free Shiraz
• Classic cassis and dark fruit from the same organic, preservative-free producer — Macaw Creek Preservative Free Cabernet Sauvignon

FAQ

What does Macaw Creek Em’s Table Preservative Free Shiraz 2023 taste like?

Ripe blackberry and plum dominate, with a gentle vanillin-oak note adding warmth and depth. It is medium-bodied, round and mouthfilling, finishing dry with fine, soft tannins.

Is this Shiraz dry or sweet?

It is a dry red wine. The blackberry and plum are ripe and generous, which creates a fruit-sweet impression, but the palate finishes dry and balanced by fine tannin.

How full-bodied is Em’s Table Shiraz?

Macaw Creek describes Em’s Table as medium-bodied, although its ripe dark fruit and 14% alcohol give it generous palate weight. The key distinction is texture: it is round and mouthfilling without the heavy tannin structure found in some bigger Australian Shiraz.

Is Macaw Creek Em’s Table Shiraz organic and preservative free?

Yes. It is made from certified organic Shiraz and the 2023 bottle states that it is made without the use of sulphites or preservatives. This places it within the No Added Preservative style of wine.

Does preservative-free mean there are absolutely no sulphites?

No sulphites or preservatives are added to this wine during production, as stated on the 2023 bottle. Sulphites can also form naturally during fermentation, so an exact total sulphur figure requires laboratory analysis; Macaw Creek has recorded 0 ppm total SO₂ for other releases, but that figure should not automatically be applied to the 2023 vintage.

Is Em’s Table Preservative Free Shiraz vegan friendly?

Yes. The 2023 bottle is labelled Vegan Friendly as well as carrying its certified-organic credentials.

What food goes best with this Shiraz?

Try slow-roasted lamb, beef stroganoff, meatballs, mushroom ragu or a rich vegetable pie. Its blackberry fruit and soft tannins make it particularly versatile with hearty food without demanding a huge piece of steak.

How should I serve it, and should it be decanted?

Serve at around 16–18°C in a generous red-wine glass. It will drink well straight away, but 15–30 minutes of air can help the blackberry, plum and subtle oak open further.

How long can Macaw Creek Em’s Table Shiraz 2023 be cellared?

It is made primarily for approachable drinking and is already in a very good drinking window. Enjoy now or over the next 2–3 years; once opened, preservative-free wine is best resealed, refrigerated and consumed within 1–2 days.

Who will love this wine?

This is particularly good for Shiraz drinkers who want ripe blackberry and plum without aggressive tannin or excessive heaviness. If you enjoy smooth, generous Australian Shiraz and specifically seek organic, vegan and preservative-free wine, Em’s Table covers all three beautifully.

(SKU: MC_ETS_CV)