Two Hands Ares Shiraz
A dark, polished, mature-vintage Barossa flagship with 94 Wine Spectator acclaim, savory black-fruit depth, lamb-kebab pairing logic, and a rare WineSlash price stack.
The score is strong. The flavor story is stronger.
This is the kind of Barossa Shiraz that wins on more than ripeness: it brings dark fruit, tea, cigar box, sage, cardamom, cocoa and a long, velvety frame.
Complex and bold, with Black Forest cake, raspberry, tea, cardamom, cigar box and dried sage tones.
Round and integrated, with earthy porcini savor, blackberry fruit and enough grip for lamb.
The price distortion is the buying signal.
WineSlash shows this at $75 against a $217 winery price and a $187 market reference. That creates a clean flagship-wine value story without needing to oversell it.
Clean six-pack math.
A six-pack lands at $450 today versus $1,302 at the winery reference, keeping $852 in your pocket before any 12+ bulk-tier consideration.
This is the exact zone where the purchase makes sense: a flagship label, professional acclaim, mature-vintage readiness and a price that turns the bottle from “special occasion only” into “bring it to the grill.”
Two Hands was built to make Australian Shiraz feel specific again.
Founded in 1999 by Michael Twelftree and Richard Mintz, Two Hands pushed against generic multi-region Shiraz by focusing on prized sites, regional voice, and fruit that carries the identity of place.
Why Ares matters.
Ares sits in the flagship lane: a wine meant to show Barossa Shiraz at full scale, with black and blue fruit, savory spice, warm earth and a finish that keeps moving.
The 2018 is in the best kind of window for a serious red: powerful enough to still feel alive, evolved enough to bring detail, and structured enough to handle a real meal.
Barossa richness, held in a polished frame.
The winemaker profile for the 2018 moves through roasted meat, pain grillé, dried herbs, blue and black berries, sage, warm earth and tea leaf. The important part is the texture: silk, length and a savory finish rather than a simple wall of sweetness.
Serve + decant protocol: serve around 60–64°F. Decant 60–90 minutes for maximum savory lift, or 30–45 minutes if the bottle already opens relaxed.
Marananga, cellar-door culture, and the Barossa table.
Two Hands opened its cellar door in Marananga in 2003 and built a hospitality language around seated tastings, flagship access and a more intimate view of Barossa Shiraz. That matters in the glass: Ares is not anonymous luxury; it has a place, a house style and a table in mind.
Dark fruit, smoke, tea leaf, sage, cocoa and grip.
This is a bold red, but the appeal is not just size. The detail is savory: dried herbs, warm earth, cardamom, cigar box and a velvety structure that makes grilled meat feel almost inevitable.
Fruit
- Blackberry
- Blue fruit
- Raspberry lift
Savory
- Roasted meat
- Dried sage
- Warm earth
Spice
- Cardamom
- Black pepper
- Cocoa
Structure
- Full-bodied
- Velvety
- Integrated grip
Finish
- Long
- Expressive
- Savory
The pairing should be lamb, fire and spice.
Ares wants a dish with char and fat. Lahem Meshwy gives it exactly that: grilled lamb, paprika, pepper, vegetables, pita and the smoky edges that let Barossa Shiraz show its darker fruit and savory bass notes.
Lahem Meshwy Lamb Shish Kebabs
The wine's bold tannins and dark berry notes enhance the grilled lamb's smokiness, elevate the spices and make the whole dish feel more complete.
Open Food & Wine Recipe →
Charcoal-Grilled Lamb Kebabs
A second lamb-kebab lane keeps the page focused: char, spice, smoke and lamb fat all speak directly to the wine's cocoa, sage, black fruit and pepper notes.
Watch Food Video →Producer story + food context.
Use the wine video for house context and the food video to reinforce the lamb pairing before the final cart decision.
Bring home the Barossa flagship.
Add six bottles now: open one with lamb kebabs, ribeye or braised beef, then let the rest sit for the slow evolution of dark fruit, tea leaf, cocoa, sage and polished Barossa tannin.
Cellar Sheet Snapshot
Wine: 2018 Two Hands Ares Shiraz, Barossa Valley
Price: $75 WineSlash / $217 winery reference
Ratings: 94 Wine Spectator; 92 Wine & Spirits
Serve: 60–64°F; decant 60–90 minutes
Pair: Lahem Meshwy, grilled lamb, ribeye, braised beef cheek
Why buy: flagship Shiraz, mature-vintage readiness, dramatic price gap
A polished cellar selection, compiled with care from available product, producer and market references.
