Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Australian Wine Companion
A reversion to delicacy. An homage to a noble past of sappy, savoury Hunter Burgundy, as it was once known. With this, there has been an adoption of larger-format oak, less agitation, and with that, superior tannin management. The result, sappy, floral, detailed and dangerously drinkable. Violet, dark cherry, clove, licorice straps and a sachet of spice. Yet the texture is the totem. And it is sumptuous.
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James Suckling
Impressive intensity here, this has very expressive red-cherry, red-plum, chocolate and spice notes in a very primary, pure mode. The palate offers a fresh red-fruit core, some darker notes, too, and attractive freshness, which is a hallmark of the best 2019 wines. Right on form here. Drink or hold.
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Wine Spectator
Quintessentially Hunter Valley in style, and from old vines, some of which date back 130 years, this is aromatic, ripe-fruited and spicy. Heady notes of raspberry and plum jelly, cracked pepper, florals and a minty, mocha oak note lead to a mid-weight palate that offers tangy fruit and sappy, supple tannins. It could cellar for several more years but is showing a fair amount of development now.
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
Most admired for citrus-driven, mineral-rich and often age-worthy Semillon wines, Hunter Valley is one of Australia’s oldest wine regions and was home to its very first commercial vineyards. The region’s warm summer nights coupled with autumn cloud cover and cool sea breezes allow full ripening and healthy acidity levels for Semillon; its diverse soils of volcanic basalt and white alluvial sands promote the development of Semillon’s delicate aromas. Hunter Valley Semillons can certainly be enjoyed in their youth but with 10 to 20 years in the cellar, the best examples develop intriguing notes of honey, browned butter and roasted nuts.
Chardonnay and Shiraz also do well in Hunter Valley.