Paxton Quandong Farm Shiraz 2019: Tasting Notes

WINE STYLE → Leather, Tobacco & Tertiary

A beautifully maturing McLaren Vale Shiraz that is moving from pure fruit into that very appealing early-aged stage, where savoury complexity starts to rise through the wine. Expect raspberry, wild cherry and plum first, then black olive, violet, cinnamon, dried herbs and a gentle earthy depth that feels more layered than youthful. The palate is medium-bodied and dry, with silky tannins, a smooth velvety glide and those first lovely bottle-aged notes beginning to show, making this a smart choice if you enjoy Shiraz with a little maturity already built in.

Highlights

• Certified organic, certified biodynamic and vegan suitable
• Crafted by Paxton Wines — one of McLaren Vale’s leading biodynamic estates
• Raspberry, wild cherry, black olive, violet and dried spice with emerging tertiary detail
• Single-vineyard Shiraz from Quandong Farm in McLaren Vale
• Museum-release bottling showing the first aged McLaren Vale Shiraz characters
• 14.0% ABV

Tasting Notes

The fruit is still very much alive here — raspberry, wild cherry, plum and a little blueberry — but what makes this bottle special now is the first wave of aged complexity. Black olive, violet, cinnamon, dried herbs and a gentle earthy undertow are starting to move into the foreground, giving the wine a more savoury, settled shape than a current release. The tannins are silky and rounded, the oak is fully integrated, and the finish has that lovely softened, tertiary edge that makes mature McLaren Vale Shiraz such a pleasure to drink.

Winemaking

Organic Wine describes this as a single-vineyard Shiraz made to highlight the intensity and brightness of biodynamically grown fruit, supported by sophisticated French oak rather than dominated by it. With a few extra years in bottle, that oak has folded right into the wine, which now reads more as spice, savoury warmth and texture than overt wood. The overall impression is polished, calm and beautifully integrated.

Vineyard & Vintage

This wine comes from Quandong Farm in McLaren Vale, one of Paxton’s single-vineyard sites. The 2019 season was low-yielding and intense, shaped by dry conditions, hail and repeated heat spikes, with Gulf influence helping moderate the worst extremes. Those conditions gave the fruit concentration and structure, and with seven years of bottle age now behind it, the wine is beginning to show the more savoury, mellowing side of McLaren Vale Shiraz without losing its core fruit.

Why We Love It

This bottle is especially appealing because it gives you a glimpse of aged McLaren Vale Shiraz without needing a cellar of your own. The fruit is still there, but the interesting part now is the way olive, spice, earth and early tertiary detail are beginning to unfold. It’s a lovely option for anyone who enjoys a red with a bit of maturity and a little less youthful swagger.

Food Pairing

The silky texture and savoury maturity make this especially good with dishes that bring depth, roast character or earthy richness. It’s also a great bottle for slower meals where the wine can keep changing in the glass.

Try matching this wine with →

• Duck breast with cherry sauce — Find a Recipe
• Mushroom and lentil shepherd’s pie — Find a Recipe
• Slow-roast lamb shoulder — Find a Recipe

Mood or occasion to match this wine…

This is a bottle for a cooler night, a proper meal and a table that will appreciate a wine with a little maturity already built in. It suits a slower pace — good glasses, roast dishes and conversation that runs long.

Cellaring

This museum release is drinking in a very attractive place now, with those early aged characters already emerging. Enjoy it now for that balance of fruit and tertiary savouriness, or hold for a few more years if you’d like the earthy, olive-and-spice side to deepen further.

Producer

Paxton is one of McLaren Vale’s most respected biodynamic producers, founded by viticulturist David Paxton in 1979. The estate has become known for certified organic and biodynamic farming, with a strong emphasis on soil vitality, biodiversity and estate-grown fruit. That farming-first philosophy is especially relevant in the single-vineyard wines, where Paxton aims to show not just varietal character but the identity of each site. Quandong Farm Shiraz is a great example of that approach because both the vineyard character and the ageing potential are easy to see in the glass.

Related Wines To Try →

If you enjoy this more mature, savoury side of McLaren Vale Shiraz, it’s especially worth comparing it with the current release to see how the site evolves over time:

• Same vineyard, current-release comparison — Paxton Quandong Farm Shiraz 2024
• Same producer, broader regional Shiraz expression — Paxton MV Shiraz
• Same producer, no added preservative Shiraz for a juicier contrast — Paxton NOW Preservative Free Shiraz

FAQ

What does Paxton Quandong Farm Shiraz 2019 taste like now?

It still shows raspberry, wild cherry and plum, but the more interesting layer now is the emergence of black olive, dried spice, earth and early tertiary savouriness. It tastes like a McLaren Vale Shiraz that has moved beyond pure fruit into a more settled, savoury stage.

What do you mean by aged characters in this wine?

In this bottle, the aged character is not fully old-school or leathery yet — it’s more the beginning of that journey. The fruit is softening slightly and becoming more savoury, while spice, olive, earth and subtle tertiary notes are starting to take a more prominent role.

Is seven years old a good age for McLaren Vale Shiraz?

Yes, absolutely. Seven years is often a lovely point for a good McLaren Vale Shiraz because the primary fruit is still present, but the wine has had enough time to start showing more complexity and integration.

How does the 2019 compare with the latest 2024 release?

The 2019 is softer, more settled and more savoury, with early tertiary detail already coming through. The latest 2024 release is brighter, firmer and more structured, with more primary fruit, grainier tannin and a more youthful, architectural shape, so tasting them side by side is a really nice way to see how Quandong Farm evolves over time.

Does this wine contain preservatives or sulphites?

Yes — this is not a No Added Preservative wine. Organic Wine lists total SO2 at 70 ppm, which is still within certified organic and biodynamic parameters and lower than many conventional wines.

Is Paxton Quandong Farm Shiraz 2019 organic, biodynamic and vegan?

Yes. Organic Wine lists it as certified organic, certified biodynamic and vegan suitable, with no fining agents used, which aligns very closely with Paxton’s vineyard-first philosophy.

How should I serve this wine?

Serve it around 16–18°C in a large red wine glass. A short decant of about 30 minutes is worthwhile here, especially to let the more savoury olive, spice and tertiary notes open up.

Can I cellar it further?

Yes, though it’s already in a very appealing museum-release window now. If you like a little more maturity and earthiness, a few more years should take it further in that direction.

What foods pair best with it?

Duck, lamb and mushroom dishes are especially good because they echo the wine’s savoury spice and silky texture. It also works beautifully with roast vegetables and lentil dishes that bring earthy depth.

Who will love this wine most?

This is ideal for drinkers who enjoy Shiraz with some bottle age already on it and who like the shift from pure fruit into savoury complexity. It’s also a smart choice if you want to compare a mature wine directly against the current 2024 release from the same vineyard.

(SKU: PX_QUA_19)