Heavy. Heavy hitter. Label claims it’s only 13.5% alcohol but it drinks like a 15% California Zin. While it pulls a powerhouse punch, it also sits on the palate with typical Oz Shiraz aplomb; starts out a little acidic but ends soft, full, with all the cherry, plum and stone fruit depth you’d expect in any decent Shiraz. Has the feel, in your mouth, of a young red, of something not quite fully developed, satisfying but not satiating. Or have I got that backwards?

We liked it a lot. But we opened it on the wrong night. For dinner there was an ethnic feast: Ottolenghi’s Morroccan carrot salad, Bill Granger’s lamb kofta and Bombay potatoes. The Stag’s had the heft for the lamb but was overkill with spice. What did work? The Haywire Gamay Noir was a marriage made in heaven. We switched. Then, after dinner, switched back. Switch hitters.

Nothing to complain about and I’ll pick up another bottle or two but no home run.

Price: $27.99 from Mud Bay

Market Liquidity: Good value, good drinking.