The 2017 Wild Duck Creek Estate Shiraz Reserve is a powerful yet beautifully composed expression of Heathcote Shiraz, showcasing the estate’s signature richness alongside impressive balance and detail. Known for producing some of Australia’s most intense and collectible Shiraz, Wild Duck Creek selects only the finest barrels each year for the Reserve — a wine that exemplifies the depth and character of the vintage.
The 2017 season in Heathcote was cooler and later than usual, delivering a more elegant and finely structured style compared to the warmer, more opulent years. The slower ripening allowed the fruit to retain freshness and aromatic lift while still achieving the concentration and tannin ripeness essential for the Reserve bottling.
The bouquet is expressive and layered, with aromas of blackberry, dark plum, blueberry, cocoa and mulberry. Notes of licorice, violet, clove, espresso roast and warm baking spice add complexity. Subtle mineral undertones from Heathcote’s ancient Cambrian soils contribute depth and savoury nuance.
On the palate, the 2017 Shiraz Reserve is full-bodied yet refined. A wave of dark berry fruit flows across a plush, velvety texture, supported by fine-grained tannins that offer structure without heaviness. The cooler vintage character is evident in the wine’s brightness and lifted acidity, giving energy and drive to the rich fruit. Layers of dark chocolate, anise, roasted coffee and spice build through the mid-palate, culminating in a long, harmonious finish.
The 2017 Reserve is a beautifully balanced release — powerful, expressive, and showing the kind of polish and purity that make it one of the standout cooler-vintage Shiraz wines from Wild Duck Creek.
Region: Heathcote, Victoria
Variety: Shiraz
Alcohol: Typically 15%
Drinking Window: Now – 2038
A superb, cellar-worthy Shiraz Reserve that marries intensity with finesse — ideal for collectors seeking both power and elegance in Heathcote reds.
