If you think Australian Shiraz is only about muscle and warmth, let a secret garden in the heart of McLaren Vale change your mind. Lily’s Garden by Two Hands is a tribute to land that looks out over the ocean, a wine that manages to be both a giant of intensity and a master of stylistic precision. We are in southern Australia, in one of the most fascinating wine regions in the world. McLaren Vale enjoys an almost Mediterranean climate, where sea breezes blowing in from the Gulf of St Vincent cool the vineyards after days of intense sunshine. This climatic contrast is essential. It allows the grapes to ripen slowly, developing an aromatic complexity that would be unthinkable elsewhere. A pure Shiraz, which in this particular area tends to develop dark notes and a velvety texture that has become a signature style. Fermentation takes place in open vats, a technique that allows constant contact with oxygen and manual control of pump-overs, carried out twice a day. This process extracts maximum colour and tannins without ever becoming aggressive. After about ten days of maceration, the wine is transferred to French oak barrels of second and fourth passage. The use of new oak is limited to 20%, a wise choice that provides structure without covering the fruit. To preserve every nuance, Lily’s Garden is bottled without fining or filtration. An impenetrable inky red with vivid crimson reflections, the nose is a sweeping wave of mocha, cardamom and espresso that blend with notes of dried figs, fresh plums and an intriguing hint of liquorice and cola. On the palate it is dense and enveloping. Dark fruits dominate the scene, yet acidity provides rhythm to the sip, revealing round tannins and a solid mineral backbone. The finish is dry, clean and extraordinarily persistent.