- By Brenden Robnik (28/04/2026)
Standish wines, absolute leaders when it comes to Shiraz in this country. Pricing that stays consistent, no long winded letters, no members clubs, no gatekeeping. Just a release date, a time, and whoever is ready gets a crack. It is a model I rate highly, it levels things out and gives everyone the same opportunity to get involved, which feels rare at this end of the market.
Tasting with Dan Standish
I had the privilege of tasting these wines with Dan Standish himself, and it adds a whole other layer when you hear him talk through the vineyards. Soil composition, elevation, aspect, even the way each parcel handles heat and wind, it all feeds into how these wines end up in the glass. Every decision feels deliberate, nothing rushed, nothing forced. One thing that really stuck with me, a huge portion of what he grows and works with never even makes it into bottle under the Standish label. The selection is ruthless, and that shows in the clarity of the final wines.
The Relic
The Relic (2% Viognier co fermented) comes off the Hongell family vineyard in Krondorf, an east facing site that avoids the harsher afternoon sun and holds onto freshness. There are vines here dating back over a century, and you feel that depth straight away. It is easily the most open in its youth, a wine you can pull the cork on and enjoy without thinking twice. Plush, balanced, silky through the middle with those lifted florals sitting over darker fruit. It draws you in straight away and does not let go.
The Standish
The Standish comes out of the Laycock family vineyard in Greenock, deep western Barossa, iron rich soils, warmer conditions, and it shows. This is the spine of the range. Straight up and down, structured, broader through the shoulders with darker fruit, spice and a more assertive tannin profile. It feels grounded, like it is built from the soil up. There is a seriousness here that points to a long future.
Schubert’s Theorem
Schubert’s Theorem is built from multiple small parcels along Roennfeldt Road in Marananga, all pieced together from slightly different soil types and vine material. It is almost like a mosaic of that one strip of Barossa. This is the dark knight of the lineup. Dense, layered, mouth coating, but somehow still incredibly precise. It pulls you in with its depth and colour, then surprises you with how clean and controlled it is across the palate. Power and refinement sitting side by side.
Lamella
Lamella comes from the Stonegarden vineyard up in Eden Valley, higher elevation, cooler air, poorer soils, and old vines that dig deep. This is where things shift. Where Schubert’s is muscle, this is detail. Perfumed, lifted, silky and almost weightless at first, but then it builds and carries with quiet power. There is an energy to this wine that keeps you coming back. My pick, and it usually is. Give this time in bottle or even a few days open and it just keeps revealing more.
Andelmonde
Andelmonde, already gone, but a great story behind it returning to the family. This sits somewhere in between the others stylistically, but with its own identity. Blue fruits, florals, spice, and a real sense of generosity. It feels expansive and built for the long haul, with that savoury edge that keeps it honest.
Site Expression
What stands out across the board is just how site driven these wines are. Greenock, Marananga, Krondorf, Eden Valley, they are all speaking clearly and differently. Same grape, same hands, completely different outcomes. That is what makes this release so compelling.
Grateful.