Mudgee And Hunter Wine Trip Last Week - Hunter Trip Report

[MarKofQuality]

Accom : Verona Cottage (walk to Brokenback, Small WInemakers, Tempus Two, Mercure)
1. Hunter victims : Small Winemakers (not much of note), Brokenwood, De Iullis, Mistletoe, Scarborough, Tintilla, Peppertree, Meerea Park, Audrey Wilkinson, Waverley Estate (vintaged wines - currently retailing circa 2000 - 2004 vintages)
WINNER : Mistletoe, RUNNER UP : Scarborough, HONOURABLE MENTION : Audrey WIlkinson (including shipping mixed dozens at $15/case - only one we found in all of Mudgee and Hunter combined ! vs AuPost at $42 !!!!), Waverley Estate - the 1999 Semillon with dinner at Emerson's was just great
2. Food :
(a) Dinner : Botanica (at Spicer's - great food, soul-less atmosphere), Emerson's (WOW !)
(b) Lunch : Muse Kitchen (OK, just)
3. Regrets / didn't get there or closed ;
(a) Food : Twine, Cafe Del Mar
(b) WIneries : Petersons - for single vineyard Chardy and Tokay, various small (not in bottle shop) cellar doors, Margan Estate (rave reports from friends)

[dan_smee]

Interesting re Mistletoe - was this based on whole CD experience (sculpture garden etc).

I haven't been a huge fan of their wines in the past - sem's all lack acidity and too much RS for mine. I'd also prefer just about any of the shiraz's at Meerea Park to their reserve shiraz at $50.

Did you get to try Andrew Thomas's 2011 reds at the Small Winemakers Centre?

[Polymer]

Mistletoe was a pretty good bargain a few years back..when their Grand Reserve was 40 and their Reserve was 25..but now their pricing is just a bit wacky....Their estate and reserve Shiraz are well made though...and they've had a good run of Chardonnay as well...

Sem wise...They're all ok...Silvereye which is their relatively high RS one..is actually probably a lot better than people give it credit for....some years it has had good acidity to balance the RS....reasonable development...again, a lot better than people give it credit for but definitely not going to be a classic...

[dan_smee]

Mistletoe was a pretty good bargain a few years back..when their Grand Reserve was 40 and their Reserve was 25..but now their pricing is just a bit wacky....Their estate and reserve Shiraz are well made though...and they've had a good run of Chardonnay as well...

Sem wise...They're all ok...Silvereye which is their relatively high RS one..is actually probably a lot better than people give it credit for....some years it has had good acidity to balance the RS....reasonable development...again, a lot better than people give it credit for but definitely not going to be a classic...

Yeah, I'd agree, but with the caveat that agreement means that money is better spent elsewhere. 30 for reserve sem? Why not spend 28 and get Thomas Braemore or Tyrrell's HVD with 7 years bottle age? Shiraz for 50? Again, Thomas Motel Block, Meerea Park Alexander munro, Tulloch Pokolbin Dry Red, Ernest Hill William Henry, Mount Pleasant Mt Henry (Shiraz Pinot), etc etc.

The quality is acceptable, but they are 50-100% overpriced for what they are.

Just my $0.02

[MarKofQuality]

OK - inadequate info in the original post. Mistletoe for RED.
The Mistletoe 2010 "Home Vineyard" was $22 per bottle ex cellar door. Far from overpriced for Hunter peers in this class.
Yes, we all tried the Thomas red that was available for tasting at SWC - didn't stand out for us, as was mostly the case for the other offerings there as well.

[dan_smee]

OK - inadequate info in the original post. Mistletoe for RED.
The Mistletoe 2010 "Home Vineyard" was $22 per bottle ex cellar door. Far from overpriced for Hunter peers in this class.
Yes, we all tried the Thomas red that was available for tasting at SWC - didn't stand out for us, as was mostly the case for the other offerings there as well.

Fair enough Mark. Which was the Thomas red on tasting?

Have had mixed experiences with their other labels.

[MarKofQuality]

From my notes I believe there were two - Two Of A Kind Shiraz ($25/bottle) and DJV Shiraz ($35/bottle). Premium wines are NOT available for tasting at the SWC.

[MarKofQuality]

I should also add at Mistletoe there is a current special deal - buy minimum of a 6 pack and if you pay the freight get 6 assorted aged Semillon. I bought a mixed dozen of the Shiraz mentioned above plus 3 each of Noble Viogner and Petit Muscat - got 3 each of 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003 aged Semillon by paying $13 for freight only ....

[Polymer]

Yeah, I'd agree, but with the caveat that agreement means that money is better spent elsewhere. 30 for reserve sem? Why not spend 28 and get Thomas Braemore or Tyrrell's HVD with 7 years bottle age? Shiraz for 50? Again, Thomas Motel Block, Meerea Park Alexander munro, Tulloch Pokolbin Dry Red, Ernest Hill William Henry, Mount Pleasant Mt Henry (Shiraz Pinot), etc etc.

The quality is acceptable, but they are 50-100% overpriced for what they are.

Just my $0.02

Yeap..I agree..they've started to charge a bit too much..the biggest shocker for me being that they basically jumped their reserve shiraz from 25 to 60 or whatever it is now...It just doesn't stack up against some other stuff out there...

I like their stuff...but just not happy with the pricing compared to the rest of the Hunter...

[MarKofQuality]

Wrt comments re: Meerea Park :
We tried the following reds ;
2010 XYZ Shiraz ($25 per)
2010 The Aunts Shiraz ($30 per)
2010 Hell Hole Shiraz ($60 per)
Dan's does a way better deal on price.

The XYZ was very light, wierd bacon on the nose, fading mid to late palate.
The Aunts was much more spicey, white pepperey, heavier with tannins but still a lighter style shiraz. I bought some.
The Hell Hole Shiraz was off old Lindemans vines. Way more complex and interesting - but seriously : for $60 I'd go Barossa every day ...

Cellar door Alexander Munro Shiraz 2010 $75 per ....
Aged at 2003 $100 per ...
1998 at $150 per ....
Seriously no for me (I can think of 100's of better alternatives).

[MarKofQuality]

Mistletoe Reserve Shiraz @ $65 at cellar door before 10% 6 pack or 15% dozen automatic "for anyone" discount. Agree overpriced - no Hunter Shiraz worth that money other than a couple of Audrey Wilkinson's I have had ....

[MarKofQuality]

Gotta say that Burnbrae at Mudgee impressed me way more than anything from Hunter in the reds category .... (see separate post).

[dan_smee]

Mistletoe Reserve Shiraz @ $65 at cellar door before 10% 6 pack or 15% dozen automatic "for anyone" discount. Agree overpriced - no Hunter Shiraz worth that money other than a couple of Audrey Wilkinson's I have had ....

Thomas Kiss, Brokenwood Graveyard, Tyrrell's Vat 8/9 4 acres and old patch I'd pay 65 for - lucky to get some of those under 90. Have you tried the aged sems from Mistletoe? Interested to see what they are like. We didn't bother making up 6 when we went to get a half case to try. Drove down the road to Hunter Valley Cellar door and bought a case of Braemore sem and some Polin & Polin Limb of Addy Shiraz (now there's your QPR @ 30/bottle!)

[Polymer]

The Hell Hole Shiraz was off old Lindemans vines. Way more complex and interesting - but seriously : for $60 I'd go Barossa every day ...

It all depends on what style you like...I'd argue that the Hell Hole Shiraz or a lot of the stuff from Tyrrells is better/more interesting than almost everything that comes out of the Barossa...From a popularity standpoint, stuff from the Barossa is definitely more popular as the style is enjoyed by more people...

Cellar door Alexander Munro Shiraz 2010 $75 per ....
Aged at 2003 $100 per ...
1998 at $150 per ....
Seriously no for me (I can think of 100's of better alternatives).

I am a fan of Meerea Park..but I'm not a huge fan of the Alexander Munro...To me it has always been a Hunter that is made to be like a Barossa Shiraz...I prefer the Hell Hole (by a wide margin). It is a good wine..very well made..ages great..but I don't agree w/ the pricing...

I still don't understand what happened with the Boutique Wine Centre....Never found out why the whole split...I'm sure there were some disagreements there somewhere but the stable of MP, Glenguin, Ferraris and Pato was pretty good...

[MarKofQuality]

Have 3 each of 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 cork closure Mistletoe aged Sems.
Yet to try (more interested in revisiting the reds purchases).
One of the other lads cracked a 2000 since return and reckons FAB.
These were being literally given away on a 1 for 1 basis with any 6 pack or more purchase (if you paid freight). Definitely the right price