Product Description:
Viognier and Shiraz, flawlessly interwoven in a brooding Barossan epic. The Relic 2017 is Dan Standish at his most contemplative—his most detailed. This is no bombastic co-ferment; instead, Viognier’s floral lift merges seamlessly into old-vine Shiraz’s rich core. The result is a wine of extraordinary depth and internal tension, where savoury complexity and purity of fruit strike a rare harmony.
From a single site in the Barossa, each tiny parcel is handled with surgical precision. The Relic is only bottled if it meets Standish’s exacting standards—up to 80% of the blend may be culled. What remains is elemental. In 2017, it’s all graphite, game, exotic spice and velvet structure. A masterclass in balance and restraint, it will cellar effortlessly for two decades or more.
The Maker
Founded in 1999 by sixth-generation Barossan Dan Standish, The Standish Wine Company is a small-batch producer with serious intent. After refining his craft at Torbreck and in the vineyards of the Rhône, Rioja and Sonoma, Dan returned to South Australia to focus on site-driven Shiraz from Eden and Barossa Valleys.
Each vineyard parcel is fermented separately, and up to 80% of the blend may be discarded—only the most compelling barrels make the final cut. It’s a fiercely selective approach that delivers wines of both clarity and depth, intensity and finesse.
Alongside Dan, Nicole Standish drives the technical and viticultural precision that underpins the brand. Together they favour whole-bunch ferments, wild yeasts, natural cork, and extended élevage in French oak (18–22 months). These choices shape Lamella into a distinctive expression of site: structured, aromatic, and built to age.
Philosophy
At the core of The Standish Wine Company is a belief in precision without compromise, and in letting great sites speak for themselves. Dan Standish’s philosophy is grounded in minimal intervention—wild ferments, whole-bunch inclusion, no fining or filtration—and an unwavering focus on vineyard expression over winemaking signature.
Lamella, drawn from cooler Eden Valley plots like Hutton Vale and Stonegarden, leans into its origins with savoury detail, floral lift and mineral tension. Each vintage is vinified and assessed barrel by barrel, with only the most expressive components chosen for final bottling. It’s a rigorous process that favours quiet power over brute force.
The result is Shiraz that captures nuance and structure, designed not just for immediacy, but for long-haul cellaring. Every bottle is a distillation of time, place and intention—made with patience, and built to reward it.
Tasting Notes
NOSE
– Dark and mineral-charged
Brooding aromas of blackberry, balsamic and exotic spice rise over a cooling minty freshness, layered with hints of game, orange peel and anise.
PALATE
– Silken and powerful
Sweet black and blue fruits glide across a palate of elegant tension, where minerality and floral notes from Viognier are intricately stitched into Shiraz's savoury frame.
FINISH
– Gliding and infinite
A wine of fine detail and graceful persistence, where tannin, acid, and fruit are so integrated they speak as one.
Reviews & Accolades
“Throbs with tension—almost sullen, which creates intrigue and intellectual complexity... glides like silk across your palate. This is a truly wonderful wine... Utterly superb.” – Stuart McCloskey, 99 Points (Tasted Nov 2021)
Finer Details:
Style - Red Wine
Varietal - Shiraz (co-fermented with Viognier)
Country - Australia
Region - Barossa Valley, South Australia
Vintage - 2017
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 14.9%
Closure - Cork
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