Domaine Chandon Shiraz

The clue is in the name – this winery is owned and operated by French Champagne giants Moet & Chandon. In the 1960s they set out to produce world class bubbles in countries outside of France.

Among other areas they set up camp in Australia on the site of an old dairy farm called ‘Green Point’ in the Yarra Valley in Victoria. In 2008 they launched a still range of wines, including this Shiraz from the Yarra.

The Yarra Valley (about an hour’s drive east of Melbourne) is known for producing some seriously high class quality Shiraz. This wine has potential to cellar over the next decade.

Awarded a huge 95/100 by James Halliday, one of Australia’s most important critics, who said “Takes a split second to announce its class; black cherry leads red cherry, spice leads pepper, French oak leads tannins, all happy to contribute to this perfectly balanced, cool grown shiraz. Chandon gives it 8 years, I’m doubling that.”

And in true Moet style there’s plenty of bling, young things showing some skin and a “Party Pics” section on the official Chandon website! Who knows, maybe one day the rappers and hip hop stars will be singing about Yarra Valley Shiraz. We doubt it somehow.