Macaw Creek Em's Table Preservative Free Shiraz 2022: Tasting Notes

WINE STYLE → Blackberry & plum comfort

Soft, generous and very easy to love, this preservative-free Shiraz leans into ripe blackberry and plum, with a neat hint of vanillin oak. It’s medium-bodied rather than heavy, with a round, mouthfilling texture that feels cosy without being cloying. The finish is dry and tidy, shaped by fine tannins that make it a natural match for dinner.

Highlights

• Certified organic and vegan-suitable
• No Added Preservatives (NAP) Shiraz with a soft, mouthfilling texture
• Ripe blackberry and plum with a hint of vanillin oak
• Dry style (residual sugar ≈ 2 g/L) with fine tannin structure
• 14.5% ABV
• Previous vintage highlights include 90 pts (2018) and Halliday score noted on the product page

Tasting Notes

Ripe blackberry and plum fruit characters with hints of vanillin oak. Medium-bodied in style with fine tannin structure on the finish and a round, soft, mouthfilling texture and flavour.

Winemaking

Made in a clean, fruit-forward style with oak kept as a gentle vanilla-like accent. It’s produced as a No Added Preservatives (NAP) wine for those wanting to minimise added sulphites, while keeping flavour and structure firmly in place.

Vineyard & Vintage

Organic Shiraz from South Australia. The wine is dry (residual sugar ≈ 2 g/L) and sits in a medium-bodied, food-friendly zone despite its generous fruit profile.

Why We Love It

It’s the definition of an easy “red for dinner” bottle: plush fruit, soft texture, and tannins that behave. You can open it without a plan and it still works — with takeaway, a roast, or a cheese board that turns into a meal.

Food Pairing

Perfect with smoky, grilled flavours, slow-cooked comfort, and spice that echoes the wine’s ripe blackberry-plum core. It also handles paprika, cumin and tomato beautifully.

Try matching this wine with →

• BBQ lamb kofta — Find a Recipe
• Slow-cooked beef brisket — Find a Recipe
• Smoky lentil tacos (vegan) — Find a Recipe

Mood or occasion to match this wine…

Cosy dinner energy — candles on, something warming on the table, and a red that feels plush and reliable.

Cellaring

Drink now for bright fruit and softness, or hold 2–4 years for a more savoury, mellow edge.

Producer

Macaw Creek is a South Australian producer focused on certified organic wines and clean, approachable styles. The Em’s Table range is made to be generous, food-friendly and simple to enjoy — real-life wines that still feel well made.

Related Wines To Try →

If you love this style, these are worth adding to your next mixed dozen:

• Same producer, minty cassis Cab (0 ppm listed) — Macaw Creek Preservative Free Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
• Pack option (great value + variety) — Macaw Creek Preservative Free Reds Pack
• Another preservative-free Shiraz to compare — Antonio’s Organic Preservative Free Shiraz 2022

FAQ

What does Macaw Creek Em's Table Preservative Free Shiraz 2022 taste like?

Ripe blackberry and plum with a hint of vanillin oak. It’s medium-bodied, round and soft, and finishes dry with fine tannin structure.

Is it a dry Shiraz or does it taste sweet?

Dry. The fruit is ripe and generous, but residual sugar is only around 2 g/L, so it won’t taste sweet.

Is this wine actually preservative-free?

It’s made as a No Added Preservatives (NAP) wine. Technically, most NAP wines can still contain a few ppm of naturally occurring sulphites from fermentation; anything under 10 ppm total SO2 is effectively preservative-free for most people, because those natural sulphites are typically bound up in the wine and far less reactive.

Is it vegan friendly?

Yes — it’s listed as vegan-suitable.

What foods pair best with it?

Think lamb kofta, slow-cooked beef, burgers, BBQ, or smoky-spiced lentils/beans. It loves char, spice and hearty comfort food.

Who will love Macaw Creek Em's Table Preservative Free Shiraz 2022?

If you like plush, blackberry-and-plum Shiraz with soft texture (but still a dry, tidy finish) and you prefer NAP reds, you’ll feel right at home.

(SKU: MC_ETS_CV)