Whenever I ran into issues growing up mum would say, with all the wisdom of an octogenarian Spaniard, “que sera, sera.” Whatever will be, will be. It doesn’t sound quite so poignant when spoken with a thick Belfast accent. I like to employ a similar saying when something goes wrong at the ’Fo: “que syrah, syrah.” Essentially, whatever will be, will be shiraz. I ignore the fact that it clearly makes absolutely zero sense, because Spanish is a language of passion, and everyone at the ‘Fo speaks passion. Especially when it comes to shiraz.
Each case contains one of the following:
MOFO SECRET DEAL, Shiraz, 2007
RRP $100 | McLaren Vale | 95pts Tony Keys | 94pts James Halliday | 94pts Jeremy Oliver
Given the finest treatment from grape to glass, this silky monster was hand-picked and matured in French oak before carefully being stashed away. And now it’s ready to be unveiled. So dust off the decanter, mofos. Because with 94pts Halliday, 94pts Jeremy Oliver, 95pts Tyson Stelzer and an iconic 5 red star producer at the helm, this shiraz has got to be tasted to be believed. See ya later rum and coke happy hour, I’ve got an upgrade.
MOFO SECRET DEAL, Shiraz, 2015
RRP $90 | McLaren Vale | 5 red star producer
Crafted by one of the hottest wineries in the Vale, this 5 red star producer is known for reaping some of the best juice in South Australia. I mean, the previous vintage of this silky and structured red got a whopping 95 Halliday points. Think rich dark fruits and a nose bursting with plum.
MOFO SECRET DEAL, Shiraz, 2015
RRP $60 | Barossa Valley | 95pts RSWS | 95pts Cowra WS | 95pts Sam Kim | 95 pts Wine Genius | 94pts Sam Kim | 3x Gold Medal Winner
When I emailed our buyer Karel about this wine, this is what hit my inbox (all grammar and punctuation verbatim): “OMG. HOLY S**T, this is old vine Barossa shiraz @ $40 off a bottle! Trophy winning, 95 points all round and three gold medals. THIS. IS. BIG.” Okay, I think Karel is excited. Resplendent in everything you expect from Barossa shiraz. This is rich and ballsy, with that classic hit of chocolate nose. Super stylish, with excellent fruit intensity, it’s no wonder this shiraz has had Karel banging out expletives on his keyboard. It’s just that good.
MOFO SECRET DEAL, Shiraz, 2010
RRP $55 | Hawkes Bay | 93pts Bob Campbell Master of Wine | 92pts Gourmet Traveller
It’s been licked by French oak, tickled by sensitive winemaking and left to rest gently for five years in bottle. It’s the reason this style of suave, cool-climate shiraz gets called syrah, and if ever a wine was ready for your glass, it’s this one. Just treat it to a juicy steak and you’ll be the best of friends.
MOFO SECRET DEAL, Shiraz Mataro, 2014
RRP $40 | McLaren Vale | 93pts James Halliday | 3x Gold medal winner | Trophy winner
The Chief Wine Wizard at this Vale institution reckons this may well be the best bit of vino magic they’ve ever cooked up and we are not going to argue. It’s been raining gold ever since it was bottled, and with dark, delectable plums and cherries presenting an otherworldly combination, we’ve taken to calling this winery the Ministry of Magic.
MOFO SECRET DEAL, Shiraz, 2013
RRP $40 | Barossa Valley | 95pts China Wine & Spirits Award | 92pts Wine Front | 91pts James Halliday | 91pts James Suckling | Gold Medal at CWSA
There aren’t many things that will drag our buyer Andy away from the ping pong table. Maybe fire, but only if he can see flames. When I asked him about this shiraz, however, he basically threw his paddle to the ground and rushed over (I assume he was losing). His eyes went larger than ping pong balls as he described the sweet, fruity shiraz on offer here, blackcurrants and cherry making a killer Barossa shiraz that goes down smoother than Andy’s backhand.
