Have you been drinking your allotment of Shiraz lately? If not summer is a great time to get back to it. The typical flavors of Shiraz pair well with just about anything you pull off your grill. Not that many years ago most of the Aussie wines on our shelves were largely of the in your face, super fruity, high alcohol, critter label, no finish to speak of variety. However the tide has turned and U.S. shelves now feature a wider breadth of Australian wines than before. And while some of the aforementioned wines still exist, we’re also seeing diverse examples of Shiraz, not to mention cooler climate region expressions of things like Pinot Noir, Semillon and more. So if you haven’t dipped your toe in the Aussie wine pool in a while, come on in the water’s fine. Here’s a terrific Shiraz from Two Hands to welcome you back to the fold.

Two Hands 2016 Gnarly Dudes Shiraz Barossa Valley ($35)

This offering is entirely Shiraz, all from the Barossa Valley. After fermentation it was aged in French oak over a period of 12 months. 15% of the barrels utilized were new, the remainder between once and six times used. Alcohol is a modest 13.5%. Violet and plum aromas emerge with conviction. Hints of earth are in play as well. The palate is strewn with black fruit flavors such as blackberry, dark plum, and black raspberry. Hints of bacon fat, toast and oodles of spice are evident as well. Black pepper, a dusting of cocoa and wisps of savory herbs mark the lengthy finish. This is an excellent example of a full flavored Shiraz that’s loaded with typicity. It’s also fresh, balanced and incredibly food friendly. Bring it to a summer BBQ and win the day.