Australia, Reviews, Shiraz, The Wine Society

Our Fathers ‘There is a Light’ McLaren Vale Shiraz-Grenache

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27 January 2026

From McLaren Vale, Australia, this red comes with a great endorsement. Jancis Robinson asked, “Surely wines like this would normally be much more expensive?”, which made it impossible not to investigate. It also forms part of The Wine Society’s Wine Champion selection, a curated collection of wines rigorously blind-tasted by their expert buying team and judged to be among the finest in quality and immediate drinkability.

But before getting into the wine itself, the story behind it deserves attention. The Our Fathers Project was founded by British Master of Wine Giles Cooke MW, who already carries a strong reputation for his small-batch wines from Barossa and McLaren Vale. The name stems from a philosophy rooted in hope, the belief that even in the darkest moments, there is light. It emerged from a deeply personal and tragic chapter in Cooke’s life, having lost his father to cancer and his mother to poor mental health. Then, without warning, he suffered a heart attack.

From this sequence of trials came Our Fathers, born with the singular goal of giving back to the communities that had supported him during those trying times. It operates entirely on a not-for-profit basis, with all proceeds going to mental health and related charities across the UK and Australia.

The wine itself is a blend of Shiraz and old-vine Grenache, coming in at 14.5% abv. In the glass, it’s strikingly deep in colour, almost opaque. At first pour, it surprisingly offers little by way of aroma or taste, simply coming across as very ‘winey’ and flat. Patience is essential. It needs at least 40 minutes to open up, and truly comes into its own the next day, a transformation that perhaps explains the mix of reviews on The Wine Society’s website.

Once allowed to breathe, the transformation is remarkable. A lovely aroma of black fruit emerges, edged with a whisper of caramel. On the tongue, it brings tapenade alongside the black fruit, supported by very gentle tannins and ending with a soft, chocolate finish. It sits between medium and full-bodied and has good length once it has fully opened up.

A shape-shifting red, worth every moment of patience and, at just £10.95 from The Wine Society, great value.

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