For our 15th wedding anniversary my wife choose a very special wine. Mill Creek sparkling Shiraz from Stroud in the Hunter Valley, Australia. We had the pleasure of visiting the vineyard and met Helen the wine maker. She makes only thousands bottles a year, not tens or hundreds of thousands like many vineyards. This means she can make small batches of special high quality wines. This sparkling Shiraz had a run of 50 case’s.

There are subtle aromas of red fruit and flavours that include plum and black cherry. There is a great balance of sweetness and acidity, almost as far away from a still Shiraz as you can for a red wine. We had it with duck and homemade orange sauce which was perfect. A number of producers and shops are starting to sell sparkling Shiraz, best to spend more than £15 and get a really good one for your first try. Then try a few cheaper ones, otherwise you could be put off as the cheaper ones don’t have than fine balance.

Mill Creek sparkling Shiraz, Stroud NSW in Australia