This wine is generous and rounded at first with juicy, deep berry compote fruits then yielding to a tightly woven frame of firm yet generous tannins. There are alluring, coconutty oak and fine dark chocolate characters, with a deep, soft centre of ripe berry fruits. A persistent, rewarding finish.

Named in honour of Bill Taylor, The Pioneer is a bold step in the Taylor family's continued journey to craft refined and distinctive wines that rival the world's best. The grapes come from a series of exceptional vineyard blocks earmarked by Adam Eggins early in the 2012 vintage. Those blocks cover a range of micro-climates and elevations within the St Andrews vinaryd, the Auburn estate and southern Clare Valley.

Wine Detective, Sarah Ahmed, 20th April 2015
'A very creamy yet juicy palate of black currant and fleshier black berry, with highly distinctive smoked charcuterie and subtler mocha notes. On day two, focused but less tightly wound fruit asserts its presence more strongly (over the oak). Ripe but present, gently grippy tannins anchor the slippery fruit (slippery in the sense it doesn't dominate the palate). The finish is long, savoury, very elegant and fluid with well-defined fresh fruit and cool, mineral acidity. A finely honed Clare Valley Shiraz; impressive...'

92+ pts, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, July 2015
'Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2012 The Pioneer Shiraz exudes expressive scents of blackberries, mulberries and plums dotted with baking spices, vanilla and milk chocolate. Medium-bodied, the complex and elegant palate is amplified by spicy flavors, very fine-grained and silky tannins, and a long finish.'

97 points, Bob Campbell MW, June 2015
'Supremely elegant Shiraz that demonstrates considerable power with its very lengthy and linear finish. Its surprisingly accessible with pleasing energy and a silken texture. Flavours suggest a core of red fruits seasoned with Oriental spices and classy oak. Still youthful with obvious longevity.'

The Wine Merchant Top 100, July 2016
...Dark fruits, cigar box and tobacco, with notes of dark chocolate, too. The length is huge, but its a very elegant, stylish wine exceptional quality and very true to its origins...

Wakefield is a third generation family wine business and was founded in 1969 by Bill Taylor who was inspired by his love for the red wines of Bordeauxs Medoc region. He was drawn to South Australias Clare Valley with the attraction of the red-brown loam over limestone soils (also known as Terra Rossa) and the Clare Valleys cool climate which were known to be ideal for the cultivation of Cabernet Sauvignon vines. Today Wakefield is headed up by Mitchell Taylor whose philosophy blends an old world estate mind set with new world winemaking innovation; coupled with an almost fanatical attention to detail and obsession with quality. This results in wines of tremendous quality and style that are made with respect for the companys family heritage. Wakefield was recently acclaimed as the most Awarded Winery in the World by The World Association of Wine Writers and Journalists (WAWWJ).