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When some of the most distinguished and seasoned figures in the Australian wine scene—responsible for cult wine labels like Tolpuddle and Shaw + Smith—collaborate with a venerable old site nestled in the esteemed Maslin sands of Blewitt Springs, it's a recipe for brilliance. After sampling the 2022 vintage last week, it's evident that we're witnessing the emergence of a contemporary masterpiece. These wines are exquisite, each boasting its own unique character and exceptional flavor profile.

The MMAD Vineyard venture brings together the expertise of Martin Shaw, Michael Hill Smith, Adam Wadewitz, and David LeMire MW, prominent figures within the Australian wine community. In 2021, this quartet acquired an exceptional vineyard in Blewitt Springs, renowned in McLaren Vale for its distinct sandy soils, tempered by cooling sea breezes and adorned with ancient vines. The outcome: wines characterized by finesse, aromatic richness, and impressive aging potential. Yet, what truly captivated them about this unique terroir was the presence of ironstone beneath the renowned sandy soils, adding a layer of structural complexity to the wines crafted here.



At the heart of the vineyard lie two key red varietals: Grenache, dating back to 1939 and Shiraz planted in 1941. The Grenache and Shiraz from this site exhibit remarkable detail and intensity, effortlessly balanced.

With only two vintages released, MMAD Vineyard has already set an exceptionally high standard. Undoubtedly, this stands as one of the most thrilling winemaking ventures in Australia today, showcasing wines of truly international caliber — and this is just the beginning.

Given their single vineyard origin, availability will always be limited, we only have 6 bottles available of each wine, so get in quick!



Wine 1: 2022 MMAD Vineyard Grenache, Blewitt Springs, $84.

"This is ballistically good. I doubt that I’ll taste anything much better from these shores over the next 12 months. The first thing you notice is the plushness, which is always welcome, but it’s the the finish that takes things to eleven. Wow, really, this wine has a show-stopping finish on it. It’s blessed with red and blue berry flavours, cedarwood, roasted spice and earth, but itemising the flavours of this wine kind of misses the point. It’s like focussing on the colour of a tidal wave. The complete and utter command of the final flourish of flavour and tannin here feels, as you swallow, like a high water mark. I’m sold, totally sold, on this wine."

97 POINTS
Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front

"The second release of the MMAD Vineyard label, and off its 1939-planted Blewitt Springs vineyard. About 15% whole bunches, fermented in wood and steel, maturation in concrete and large old French oak. Unlike the 2022 shiraz, this takes time to emerge from the glass. It’s all there, though. There’s a brooding quality at present, with nori, iodine and ferrous notes filtering up through dark red cherry, plum, raspberry and sultry florals. Some spicy, musky characters emerge with air. Tannin is a meaningful factor, a pleasingly natural grape-derived affair, rugged but never rustic. A seriously compelling wine, and further proof of how thrilling McLaren Vale grenache is right now, for both its quality and the unparalleled diversity in top-flight expressions."

97 POINTS
Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion

Wine 2: 2022 MMAD Vineyard Shiraz, Blewitt Springs, $84.

"This is a seriously impressive release, showcasing winemaker Adam Wadewitz’s learnings from the first vintage and the bounty of full viticultural control. The old-vine fruit could easily handle about one-third whole bunch, a Wadewitz favourite. And that impact is profoundly positive, weaving in spicy, smoky notes and complexing tannins to provide exceptional tension without greenness. Red and blue fruits, violet and dusky red florals, coal dust, anise, cacao and roasted coffee bean. Intensity on the palate at moderate alcohol and no heavy mid-palate sweetness nor new oak. Rather, it is poised throughout, with fruit intensity seamlessly meshed into a silky, supple but aptly assertive structure, a ferrous nori/kelp mineral note underpinning. For a site purchased prizing grenache, this is a revelation."

97 POINTS
Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion

"Very complex Rhône-ish meaty/spicy bouquet of formidable charm and detail. Theres a nicely judged touch of reduction in there, and the wine is fleshy and sumptuous on the palate, smooth textured and glossy, with a lingering aftertaste packed with supple, polished tannins that are in effortless support. An outstanding shiraz. The tannins are formidable and sneaky—they will ensure a long aging career. A stonking McLaren Vale regional shiraz."

97 POINTS
Huon Hooke, The Real Review