Macaw Creek Organic Preservative Free Shiraz 2021: Tasting Notes

WINE STYLE → Blackberry & soft spice

This is an elegant, ripe Shiraz built for easy drinking: blackberry fruit, a gentle vanillin-oak note, and a soft, round texture that makes it instantly welcoming. It’s medium-bodied rather than heavy, finishing dry with ripe dark-fruit flavour and soft tannins — the kind of preservative-free red you can pour midweek and still feel like you’ve chosen well.

Highlights

• Certified organic, vegan-suitable, and No Added Preservative
• Blackberry fruit with a gentle vanillin-oak note
• Soft, easy-drinking style with soft tannins and ripe dark-fruit flavour
• Dry finish (residual sugar ≈ 2 g/L)
• 14.5% ABV

Tasting Notes

Blackberry fruit and a gentle vanillin-oak note lead the nose. The palate is soft and easy-drinking, finishing dry with ripe dark-fruit flavour and soft tannins.

Winemaking

Made as a No Added Preservative (NAP) Shiraz, crafted into a soft, easy-drinking style where fruit takes the lead and oak reads as a subtle vanilla lift.

Vineyard & Vintage

Produced from organic Shiraz grown in South Australia, with fruit sourced across the Clare Valley and Limestone Coast. The wine sits in a dry zone (residual sugar ≈ 2 g/L) with 14.5% ABV.

Why We Love It

It’s a gorgeous “open-and-pour” Shiraz: ripe, soft and generous, but still dry and tidy at the finish. A great option if you’re looking for a preservative-free red without the rough edges.

Food Pairing

This style loves smoky char, spice and savoury richness — anything that echoes blackberry fruit and soft tannins.

Try matching this wine with →

• Korean beef bulgogi — Find a Recipe
• Slow-roasted duck legs — Find a Recipe
• Pumpkin & chickpea curry (vegan) — Find a Recipe

Mood or occasion to match this wine…

A cosy night in with something warm and savoury on the table — the kind of red that keeps everyone happy without stealing the spotlight.

Cellaring

Best enjoyed while the fruit is plush and the tannins stay soft. Drink now, or cellar 2–3 years for a slightly more savoury edge.

Producer

Macaw Creek is a South Australian producer with a strong focus on certified organic fruit and clean, food-friendly styles. Their preservative-free wines are made to keep flavour front and centre — generous fruit, tidy structure, and easy drinkability.

Related Wines To Try →

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

• Same producer, minty cassis Cabernet (0 ppm listed) — Macaw Creek Preservative Free Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
• Another preservative-free Shiraz to compare — Mercer Wines Preservative Free Shiraz 2023
• Pack option (great value + variety) — Macaw Creek Preservative Free Reds Pack

FAQ

What does Macaw Creek Organic Preservative Free Shiraz 2021 taste like?

Ripe blackberry and dark-fruit flavour with a gentle vanillin-oak note. It’s soft, easy-drinking and medium-bodied, finishing dry with soft tannins.

Is this wine actually preservative-free?

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

Is it dry or sweet?

Dry. Residual sugar is around 2 g/L, so it won’t taste sweet — the softness comes from ripe fruit and a smooth texture.

Is it vegan friendly?

Yes — it’s listed as vegan-suitable.

What should I eat with it?

Try smoky grilled meats, slow-cooked dishes, spiced flavours (pepper, paprika, cumin), or a vegan pumpkin-and-chickpea curry. Anything savoury and warming works beautifully.

Who will love Macaw Creek Organic Preservative Free Shiraz 2021?

If you like plush, ripe Shiraz with a soft palate and a dry, tidy finish — and you prefer No Added Preservatives wines — this one is an easy yes.

(SKU: MC_Shi_21)