Noon Winery Reserve Shiraz / 2012 / 750mL

The Noon Winery Reserve Shiraz 2012 is a full-bodied Langhorne Creek red with real density and a warm, generous core of dark fruit. Now well into its second decade, it has softened into something plush and savoury while keeping the concentration that made it worth cellaring in the first place.

Aromatically it leans dark and brooding: blackberry compote, plum skin, black olive and a lick of dark chocolate, with dried herbs and a whiff of leather from bottle age. The palate carries that fruit through in a broad, mouth-coating way typical of Langhorne Creek Shiraz, with liquorice, iron and a touch of soy adding savoury depth behind the sweetness of the fruit.

Tannins have resolved into something fine and dusty, framing rather than gripping, and the acid keeps the whole thing from feeling heavy. The finish is long and warming, closing on bitter chocolate and spice.

Decant an hour before serving and pour at around 16 to 18 degrees. It suits slow-cooked beef cheeks, a butterflied lamb shoulder off the barbecue, or aged cheddar and quince paste at the end of a meal. Drinking beautifully now and should hold through to around 2027, though there is no need to wait.