Plantagenet Lions Circle Shiraz 2018 - Mt. Barker, Western Australia

Bronze - Natalie MacLean
92/100 - Sam Kim, Wine Orbit (2017 vintage)
Bronze - Natalie MacLean (2017 vintage)

Natalie MacLean "... is an excellent value Shiraz, supple, full-bodied with layers of dark cherry, plum, dried herbs, pepper and well-integrated toasty oak spice flavours with a silky, long and vibrant finish."

Sam Kim, Wine Orbit "Solid core of dark fruits, plums and white pepper follow through from the nose. Great acidity balances the dense fruit core with soft tannin and an elegant mouthfeel. Savoury herbal notes at complexity with a slightly old world feel to the wine. Classical cool climate shiraz from a cool vintage." (2017 vintage)

Natalie MacLean "A generous, full-bodied, supple Australia Shiraz with aromas of fleshy ripe black plums and spice. Perfect for grilled meats." (2017 vintage)

Western Australian winery, Plantagenet is acclaimed internationally for its consistently highly-awarded, quality wines produced from its five vineyards located in the cool climate region of the Great Southern. It is known for its highly aromatic riesling, tangy citrus-tinged chardonnay, exceptional Rhône-style shiraz and superb cabernet sauvignon. The five estate vineyards are overseen by Chief Viticulturist Jordan Ellis whose philosophy is sustainability and remaining true to the terroir of the region.

The Real Review "Plantagenet is a pioneer of the Great Southern region of Western Australia with vineyards first planted in 1986 and the first commercial winery established in the region. Celebrated for its rich heritage, the winery was until recently owned the Lionel Samson family, the oldest family owned business in Western Australia established in Fremantle in 1829. Plantagenet has five vineyards in the Mount Barker sub region each with the unique characteristics, ancient soils and a cool maritime climate creating expressive wines of provenance, quality & prestige. "

James Halliday, Halliday Australian Wine Companion "Plantagenet has honed its flagship varieties into a distinct Great Southern wine style; a depth of lively flavour, seamless elegance and natural purity"

The Great Southern is emerging as a wine region of international significance and reputation. It is the largest wine growing region in Australia and is the second largest producer of grapes in Western Australia. It is a landscape of forested cliffs and resplendent mountain ranges, grazing pastures and towns steeped in history. The regional climate ranges from the coastal, maritime subregions of Albany and Denmark to the inland, continental subregions of Mount Barker, Porongurup and Frankland River. The predominant soils are similar to those of the Margaret River region - either lateritic gravelly sandy loams (marri country) or sandy loams deriving directly from granite and gneissic bedrocks. Near perfect conditions for grape growing has lured some of the most creative and talented winemakers to call this land their home and become part of its ancient story.

The region is known for commitment to be sustainable, and organic, and is attracting some of Australia’s best winemakers. In 2023 the region dominated the Halliday Wine Companion Awards with its Top Rated 2023 Rieslings winning 10 of the top 40 awards. Other varietals from the region also received exceptional ratings of 97, 96 & 95 points.

Winemakers who work in cooler-climate growing regions, both in the Old World and New World, tend to call their wines Syrah. The most famous examples come from the northern Rhône Valley of France, notably Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie. In the New World, in regions like Sonoma Coast, California; Yarra Valley, Australia; and parts of Chile, the wines are called Syrah because they emulate the leaner, acid-driven, savory styles of the Old World French classics.

Shiraz tends to come from warmer growing climates, namely the South Australian regions of Barossa, McLaren Vale and Adelaide Hills. Stylistically, these wines are lush, fruit-forward examples that embody the warmer, sunnier climate. Shiraz is so important to Australian viticulture that it is the most planted grape variety in the majority of Australian vineyards and has become virtually synonymous with the country's wine regions, and in particular the Barossa Valley.