Overview
The 2023 First Drop Mother's Milk Shiraz is a soft, juicy and textured Barossa red made for pure drinking pleasure. Sourced from vineyards in the Barossa and Eden Valleys, it delivers generous dark fruit, savoury detail and supple tannins in a refreshingly approachable style.
Vintage & Winemaking
The 2023 vintage saw above-average winter rainfall, followed by a cool and windy spring that encouraged canopy growth but led to uneven flowering and lower yields in many vineyards.
Fruit was sourced from Seppeltsfield in the west of the Barossa, Kalimna in the north and Eden Valley in the east. The fruit was crushed, destemmed and fermented for seven days on skins at 20-23°C, with aerative pump overs and drain-and-return techniques used to extract colour, flavour and tannin. The wine was then transferred to older French oak hogsheads for malolactic fermentation and matured sur lie for 10 months.
Product Highlights
- Barossa Shiraz designed to be soft, slurpy, savoury and textured.
- Sourced from Barossa and Eden Valley vineyards.
- 92 points from Wine Spectator.
- Matured sur lie for 10 months in seasoned French oak hogsheads.
- Drink now, with 5 to 8 years of cellaring potential.
Critic Scores & Reviews
92 Points - Wine Spectator
2023 Vintage. Tasted December 2025.
Tasting Notes
Appearance
Garnet red with purple hues.
Nose
Dark cherry and blackberry aromas with hints of forest floor and spice.
Palate
Vibrant dark cherry and blackberry with a hint of allspice, balanced by an even, textural palate and soft, supple tannins.
Food Pairing
Pairs well with beef and venison, especially grilled steak, burgers, roast lamb, barbecue meats and savoury red meat dishes.
Cellaring Potential
Drink now, or cellar for 5 to 8 years.
About First Drop Wines
First Drop Wines was founded in 2004 in the Barossa Valley with a focus on wines made to be enjoyed, not just admired. Known for vibrant, modern expressions of South Australian varieties, First Drop sources fruit from distinctive vineyard sites across regions including Barossa, Eden Valley, McLaren Vale and the Adelaide Hills.
Specifications
- Producer: First Drop Wines
- Vintage: 2023
- Country: Australia
- Region: Barossa, South Australia
- Grape Variety: Shiraz
- Wine Style: Red Wine - Rich and Intense
- Vineyards: Seppeltsfield, Kalimna and Eden Valley
- Oak Maturation: 10 months sur lie in seasoned French oak hogsheads
- Bottle Size: 750ml