I was listening to a podcast recently (of which I can’t remember the subject) that mentioned the 1960’s was all about conformity.  There were certain ‘norms’ that were followed and if you strayed from those ‘standards’ you were deemed a rebel and people would turn their noses up at you.  Now, to me, that sounds particularly boring.  I like a bit of history and I really enjoy looking at old photographs and the 1960’s is a decade that has always interested me.  I can remember seeing photographs from the late 1960’s of people dubbed as ‘hippies’ because of the way they dressed and behaved.  They were certainly not conforming with the ‘norm’ during this decade, and it formed part of a desire for equality and freedom of expressing oneself.

It made me wonder, when did it become ‘hip’ to make wine differently to the ‘norm’?  When ‘no fining or filtration’ became almost common place on a wine label along with terms such as ‘wild ferment’ and ‘carbonic maceration’ allowing wines to ‘express themselves.’  It may well be that these winemaking processes have been about for a while but undertaken in a clandestine way.  I don’t think it matters anyway because these Break Free wines show this winemaking approach at its very best.

Region: Western Australia     Price: $30 each     Source: Thanks kindly to Clandestine Vineyards and Savvy Comms

2022 Break Free ‘Little Wing’ Shiraz Noir

Fresh, juicy, fruity and oh such a beauty! This Shiraz/Pinot Noir blend has plenty going for it.  The nose is a red berry barrage, of the delightful kind, which has you thinking that it would be exactly what it’s going to taste like.  And it is, but the flavours are taken up a notch while remaining a delicious, ‘fun’ style of red wine.  There’s darker fruit influence, there’s a touch of herbs, a smidge of spiciness and a whole bunch of pleasurable drinking in one bottle.

2021 Break Free Enfant De Lune Shiraz

Aromatically attractive, blackcurrants and plums shine on the nose.  A nice and juicy fruitful palate of black berries and currants, some plummy goodness, a hint of that cool climate like pepper character, finishing smooth and moreish, carrying the 14.5% alcohol easily.  This is another very good wine in the Break Free range and an excellent partner to the previous wine.  If I had to pick one over the other, I don’t reckon I could!  They both deserve a place on your wine rack, in your wine cellar or on your wine list.