Paxton Queen of the Hive Shiraz Mataro 2023: Tasting Notes

WINE STYLE → Bright Red-Fruit & Fresh

A vibrant McLaren Vale red that lands between juicy and savoury in the most useful way. Expect raspberry, cherry and cranberry first, then earthy spice, a gentle floral note and a subtle smoky whisper in the background. It’s medium-bodied and dry, with lively acidity, smooth tannins and enough whole-bunch lift to keep the wine feeling energetic rather than weighty. A very smart bottle when you want something generous but not heavy.

Highlights

• Certified organic, certified biodynamic and vegan suitable
• Crafted by Paxton Wines — a benchmark biodynamic producer in McLaren Vale
• Raspberry, cherry, cranberry and earthy spice with a silky, fresh finish
• 53.5% Shiraz and 46.5% Mataro, matured in French oak
• Halliday Wine Companion reviewed the 2023 release
• 14.0% ABV

Tasting Notes

This blend opens on bright red fruits — raspberry, cherry and cranberry — before moving into earthy spice, a delicate floral undertone and a faint savoury smokiness. Shiraz brings the fruit drive and openness, while Mataro adds darker spice, structure and a little more depth through the middle. The palate is lively and dry, with refreshing acidity and well-integrated tannins that give the wine shape without making it feel firm or heavy.

Winemaking

The winery notes confirm a 53.5% Shiraz and 46.5% Mataro blend, aged in French oak. The finished wine carries a gentle whole-bunch carbonic feel, which helps explain the vivid red-fruit profile and lifted, energetic style. Oak is present, but more as framing than flavour, keeping the wine polished while allowing the brighter fruit and spice notes to stay front and centre.

Vineyard & Vintage

This wine is grown in McLaren Vale from Paxton’s certified organic and biodynamic estate vineyards. Paxton’s farming approach is strongly centred on soil life, biodiversity and healthy vines, and that sense of vitality comes through clearly here. The 2023 release shows a fresher, red-fruited expression of Shiraz and Mataro, with enough regional warmth for generosity, but enough brightness to keep everything lively.

Why We Love It

This is such a useful red when you want something with flavour and personality, but not the kind of weight that takes over the table. It has enough fruit for easy drinking, enough spice and tannin for food, and a very appealing balance between polish and energy. It’s the sort of bottle that works across a lot of different moods.

Food Pairing

The lively fruit and refreshing acidity make this especially good with dishes that bring char, tomato, spice or a little earthy depth. It’s versatile enough for casual comfort food, but still polished enough to hold its own at dinner.

Try matching this wine with →

• Lamb kofta with yoghurt and herbs — Find a Recipe
• Roast aubergine with tahini — Find a Recipe
• Sausage and fennel pasta — Find a Recipe

Mood or occasion to match this wine…

Perfect for long lunches that roll into dinner, a midweek roast chicken upgrade, or that first proper red of autumn when you want something juicy but still a little refined. It has a very easy, crowd-pleasing kind of confidence.

Cellaring

This is drinking well now, but it should hold comfortably over the next couple of years. The winery notes suggest a cellar window of around 2 years, which fits the wine’s bright-fruit, medium-bodied style.

Producer

Paxton is one of McLaren Vale’s landmark biodynamic producers, founded by viticulturist David Paxton in 1979. The estate has spent decades building a reputation for thoughtful, vineyard-led winegrowing, with certified organic and biodynamic farming across its own McLaren Vale vineyards. Soil health, biodiversity and long-term resilience sit at the core of the Paxton philosophy, and that commitment consistently shows up in the clarity and balance of the wines. In the Queen of the Hive range, that serious farming background is channelled into wines that are more playful and immediately drinkable, but still grounded in place and real vineyard character.

Related Wines To Try →

If you enjoy this juicy, spice-led red style, these are well worth exploring next:

• Same producer, bright and spicy Mediterranean-style red — Paxton Tempranillo
• Same producer, fresher chillable red blend — Paxton Queen of the Hive Light Red
• Same producer, juicy no added preservative Shiraz — Paxton NOW Preservative Free Shiraz

FAQ

What does Paxton Queen of the Hive Shiraz Mataro taste like?

It tastes of raspberry, cherry and cranberry, with earthy spice, a delicate floral lift and a faint smoky note on the finish. The overall style is dry, medium-bodied and lively, with plenty of red-fruit energy.

Is this wine dry or sweet?

It is a dry red wine. The fruit profile is bright and juicy, but the palate shape is firmly dry rather than sweet.

What is the body and tannin profile like?

This sits around medium-bodied, with enough texture to satisfy without turning heavy. The tannins are smooth and well integrated, giving structure in a polished, easy-drinking way.

Does this wine contain preservatives or sulphites?

I could not verify a no-added-preservative claim for the current 2023 release from live source material, so I have treated it as a standard certified organic and biodynamic red. That means it may contain naturally occurring sulphites and possibly added sulphur within organic production limits.

Is Paxton Queen of the Hive Shiraz Mataro organic, biodynamic and vegan?

Yes. Your Paxton product sheet lists it as certified organic, certified biodynamic and vegan, which aligns with Paxton’s estate-wide farming credentials and the Organic Wine product listing.

How should I serve this wine?

Serve it around 15–17°C in a medium to large red wine glass. A short decant of 20 minutes is helpful if you want the spice and savoury notes to open a little more.

Can I cellar it?

Yes, but this is more of a short-term cellar candidate than a long-haul wine. The winery notes suggest about 2 years, which makes sense for a wine built on freshness and bright fruit.

What foods pair best with it?

It’s excellent with lamb, sausage pasta, roast vegetables and tomato-based dishes with herbs. It also works very well with vegetarian plates that bring char, spice or earthy flavours.

Who will love this wine most?

This suits drinkers who like juicy reds with freshness, but still want a little structure and savoury complexity. If you enjoy blends that sit somewhere between Shiraz generosity and Mataro spice, this is a very appealing bottle.

How long will it last once opened?

Recork it and keep it cool, and it should hold nicely for 3–4 days. The spice and savoury detail may become a little more obvious on day two.

(SKU: PX_QSM_CV)