TN: Six Hunter cellar doors

[GraemeG]

HUNTER VALLEY - 6 CELLAR DOORS - (17/01/2015)

Family is away in Tasmania; I attempt to make up for all the Apple Isle wineries I’m missing by spending a day in the Hunter as I’ve done occasionally in the past. The usual group of wineries, pretty much, although I couldn’t face the Tempus Two facility to taste Meerea Park, and substituted Tower Estate instead. Tyrrells Private Bin room I organized ahead of time, as you must; but my best-ever experiences at Brokenwood and Mount Pleasant were just serendipitous I suspect.

Brokenwood
First in the door at 9.30. Mandi was enthusiastic, knowledgeable, friendly; everything you’d want in a CD person. Terrific range of wines to try; if you’re obviously interested and serious about your wines then anything they’ve got was available to taste. In line with release policy though; so no Graveyard, Mistress or Verona shiraz, but only due to timing factors I suspect. Go back in May for those!

2014 Brokenwood Sémillon - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 11%, A$25} Youthful grass & hay. Dry and crisp, with some density and weight, emphasized by fairly soft acid. Medium length finish of typical hunter Semillon fruit. Best within 5 years. Much better than the 2013 effort.

2013 Brokenwood Sémillon Oakey Creek Vineyard - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 11%, A$40} Fragrantly perfumed and grassy. Polished grass and hay flavours. Light/medium-bodiy, but lively medium/high acidity gives this much greater presence, depth and persistence than the standard offering. Medium/long finish. Good.

2009 Brokenwood Sémillon Latara - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 11%, A$55} At five, showing real toasty notes on the nose. Despite that, it’s still pretty youthful on the palate, with lots of acidity framing the toast and lemony flavours. Medium-bodied now, with a medium/long finish.

2008 Brokenwood Sémillon Maxwell Vineyard - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 10%, A$55} Earth and toast. Dusty and smoky. Soft mouthfeel, medium acid. Seems very advanced. Perhaps they should have picked it even earlier to minimize further the effects of the rain. Light/medium body. There really is a wet-vintage feel to this.

2007 Brokenwood Sémillon - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 11%, A$40} The standard hunter offering with some years on it now offers a honeyed nose, with a touch of glue. The way they used to make them; this has aged nicely, with medium acid and body, and aged citric and honey flavours. At peak.

2013 Brokenwood Chardonnay Beechworth, Bathurst, McLaren Vale - Australia, Victoria, North East, Beechworth
{screwcap, 11%, A$28} Soft nutty nose. Peach and nut flavours. Medium-bodied, with some serious oak presence here. Dry, medium length finish. Decent shorter-term chardonnay.

2013 Brokenwood Chardonnay Indigo Vineyard - Australia, Victoria, North East, Beechworth
{screwcap, 11%, A$55} An acidic, spice-and-grapefruit chardonnay, with lively acidity (30% malo only), medium/high acid, medium/full-body and a medium+ length. Polished, plenty of mid-palate weight; should age nicely for a decade.

2012 Brokenwood Pinot Noir - Australia, Victoria, North East, Beechworth
{screwcap, 13%, A$35} Bright stalky cherries. Raspberry fruit flavours. Fresh enough. Light/medium-body. Soft gritty tannins. Plenty of acid, little oak, short-medium dry finish. About right for the price.

2012 Brokenwood Pinot Noir Indigo Vineyard - Australia, Victoria, North East, Beechworth
{screwcap, 13%, A$55} Black cherries, a touch of cedary oak. Sweet red fruits, translucent sort of texture. Soft oak, dusty fine tannins. Medium-bodied, good presence of fruit on the mid-palate. Medium length finish. Tidy wine.

2012 Brokenwood Pinot Noir IV-MV6 - Australia, Victoria, North East, Beechworth
{screwcap, 12.5%, A$75} Sweet strawberry fruits on the nose, almost with a medicinal touch. Juicy and spicy palate, classy, dry and savoury. Medium-weight, with a medium/long finish. Plenty of acid to maintain freshness. Judicious oak. Should see a decade easy.

2013 Brokenwood Nebbiolo Indigo Vineyard - Australia, Victoria, North East, Beechworth
{screwcap, 13%, A$40} Young vines have produced this Turkish-delight infused wine, with maybe a nod to the classic violets and tar. There are plenty of tannins, but they’re coarse and open, and not the solid wall of Langhe. Medium/full-bodied, with spicy red flavours. Medium/long finish. Should last a decade. Impressive, although pricey.

2013 Brokenwood Shiraz 7 Acre - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley, Pokolbin
{screwcap, 12.5%, A$75} Spices, soft red fruit. Less about fruit than structure; lots of acid, medium/high dusty tannins. The red fruit turns savoury and earthy on the palate. Medium-bodied. Medium/long finish. Good for 15 years to develop some real dimension. Seemed easily the most acidic of the five shirazes I tried at Brokenwood. Spends just 9 months in oak; so it is fruit-driven in the true sense. A block selection from the graveyard vineyard I believe.

2013 Brokenwood Shiraz Hunter Valley - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 13%, A$50} Spice, earth, dust, red fruit. There’s a bit of black pepper and currant on the palate too. Mainstream modern hunter. Even and savoury, with medium tannins and body, and a medium-length finish. Nice wine, but the price is getting a bit scary.

2013 Brokenwood Shiraz Four Winds Canberra - Australia
{screwcap, 13.5%, A$65} White pepper and pure blackberry fruit. Instantly announces its cool-climate origin. There’s a dark chocolate aspect to the fruit too. Medium weight, with medium dusty tannins. Subtle oak. Doesn’t lack a really juicy quality though. Medium acid and a medium/long dry finish. I liked this; it should age for an age.

2013 Brokenwood Shiraz Indigo Vineyard - Australia, Victoria, North East, Beechworth
{screwcap, 13.5%, A$65} Earth and iron. Dark and inky in appearance and flavour. Blackberries, minimal oak; low/medium tannins. Medium body and length. Not terribly characterful, but a decent mouthful of flavour. Wants plenty of time.

2010 Brokenwood Shiraz Wade Block 2 - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale
{screwcap, 14.5%, A$65} Big youthful mouthful of chocolate and liquorice. Plush velvety palate; highlighting the big rich McLaren Vale characteristics. Lowish acid, medium/full body, medium tannins. Not too hot, despite 14.5%. A potential bruiser, but behaving itself. Best before ten years, most likely.

2008 Brokenwood Sémillon Sticky Wicket - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
{375ml, screwcap, 10.5%, A$35} Hay and quince. Purely sweet honeyed essence on the palate; plenty of sugar sweetness; has just enough acid to hold it all together. No real botrytis noticeable. Perhaps it would be more interesting as a younger wine? The extra freshness of youth might make it shine a bit brighter. But this is pretty good, although definitely ready to drink.

Tyrrell's
I guess the best time to visit Tyrrell’s is in May/June, when they’ve released the previous vintage reds, and might even still have some of them to sell. In January it’s pretty much just the whites released the previous September. The sit-down style is much better for comparing the subtleties between the semillons from the same vintage, especially if you’re not so familiar with them. Wish I could have done that at the other wineries. It’s nice that they usually throw in a couple of older vintage wines as a comparison too.

2014 Tyrrell's Sémillon Single Vineyard Stevens - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley, Lower Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 11.5%, A$23} Grassy, sweet apple and lemon fruit. Dry palate, touch of mineral-like texture along with the grassy flavours. Light-bodied, with crunchy medium acid. Short/medium finish. Good over the medium term.

2014 Tyrrell's Sémillon Single Vineyard HVD - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 10.5%, A$23} This is a bit new to me; the HVD used to form the background to the Futures bottling, which I’ve never tasted much. This is rather closed and earthy. The palate has tangy grass and straw flavours, light/medium weight, and a denser texture than Stevens. Medium acid, short/medium length finish. For the shorter term I think.

2014 Tyrrell's Sémillon Single Vineyard Belford - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley, Belford
{screwcap, 11.5%, A$23} Hay and straw aromas and flavours. Dry, talc-like texture, dusty and almost crunchy. Light/medium body. Medium length dry finish. Belford usually improves with age. This is good.

2014 Tyrrell's Sémillon Johnno's Block - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 11.5%, A$38} Pure grass, citric qualities, with a touch of honey. Medium level acidity, but only light-bodied. The palate is soft and floral, with a pure watery limpidity to it. Ethereal and restrained. Very pretty. Nice to drink now; wonder how these are aging?

2014 Tyrrell's Sémillon Vat 1 - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 11.5%, A$40} Lemon and straw. Youthful. Steely palate; assertive and crystalline. Light/medium-bodied, even palate, medium/high acidity, and long/medium finish. Reasonably generous by Vat 1 standards, but seems to have all the stuffing to live for an age.

2010 Tyrrell's Sémillon Vat 1 - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 11.5%} Well, this was surprisingly advanced for five years old. Toasty enough to raise suspicions of oak usage (none, of course). It’s medium-bodied; has a mix of hay and toast flavours, it’s dry, the acid seems quite reticent. Finishes medium-length. I wasn’t terribly impressed I must say; perhaps this is in a developmental dip of some kind. Not so exciting.

2012 Tyrrell's Chardonnay Belford - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley, Belford
{screwcap, 13%, A$27} Cashews, figs and oak. Nice. Chewy palate; warm climate chardonnay characters; quite rich. Medium-body, medium-length dry finish. Drink over five years.

2010 Tyrrell's Chardonnay Vat 47 - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 13%} Clean lemon and grapefruit with a seasoning of spicy oak. Classy wood-tinged flavours; figs and grapefruits appear too; it has plenty of mid-palate presence, with medium/high acidity, medium/full-body and a long dry finish of generous warmth. Tip-top modern chardy, still on the improve. Another decade is easy for this.

2014 Tyrrell's Chardonnay Vat 47 - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 13%, A$40} Very much resembling a younger version of the 2010; this is more restrained as befitting its extreme youth. Polished cedary oak is prominent; there are lots of warm chardonnay and leesy characters on the palate, but good balance and medium weight and length. Just needs some time to come together.

2013 Tyrrell's Pinot Noir HVD & The Hill - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 13%, A$20} Light garnet. Soft, vague berry aromas; not terribly intense. A bit glue-like on the palate. Some ripe red fruit, but simple and easy. Little oak, light-bodied, minimal tannins, fairly short finish which lingers on the front palate only. A kind of Beaujolais plus some hunter dirt. Quaff.

2013 Tyrrell's Pinot Noir Vat 6 - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 13%, A$40} Australia would be one of the last places on earth you’d pick as the origin of this. All dirt and soil with just a bit of cherry fruit. Channelling burgundian acidity, medium dusty tannins; it has warm red berry fruit but no-one’s going to mistake it for an easy-drinking Kiwi, for example. Medium-bodied, with a medium-length finish; it’s a bit soft on the mid and back-palates, but it should evolve in an earthy manner for five to ten years. ‘Quirky’ might be the best description for it.

2013 Tyrrell's Sangiovese - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 13%, A$24} A weird one-off bottling from a local vineyard. Sour cherry nose, with an authentic, smoky, cherry-like, sour-edged palate, light-medium weight and low/medium dusty tannins. Medium acid and minimal oak; it’s a decent pasta wine at a fair price.

2011 Tyrrell's Shiraz Single Vineyard Stevens - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 13%} Raspberry fruit over sandy earth. Dusty and spicy palate; still very young. It’s a medium wine in all structural aspects, with minimal oak and an even palate. Usually a terrific wine when released for around $30-ish, this vintage wants half-a-dozen more years at least to shed a bit of baby-fat and relax a bit.

2011 Tyrrell's Shiraz Vat 9 - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley, Lower Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 12.9%} Pure nose of youthful raspberry and blackberry essence. The flavours add a spicy, peppery note, along with savoury, earthy characters; it’s ripe and balanced, medium/full-bodied, subtly-oaked, with a medium/long finish. Even palate. Class act which needs an age to soften further and let its dimensions of depth shine through.

2013 Tyrrell's Shiraz Vat 9 - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley, Lower Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 13%, A$56} If the 2011 seemed youthful, this could pass for a barrel sample. Liquid blackberries, pure and concentrated. Medium/high dusty tannins, even palate, great balance along the tongue, medium/full-body (although no-one’s ever going to pick it as Barossa), and a savoury medium/long finish. All class, an needs an age to develop. Easily comparable to; possibly exceeds the ’11 for overall quality.

2011 Tyrrell's Vat 8 - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 13.8%} Black fruits dominate the sour-edged nose. The 10% cabernet really shows through all the Hunter shiraz; it really stiffens the spine of this wine; it’s medium-bodied and weighted as far as structure goes; moving into a development phase now; the under-stated oak hasn’t weakened the medium dusty tannins; the finish is still dry and savoury. On the improve; should continue for a decade.

2013 Tyrrell's Vat 8 - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 13.5%, A$50} This seems less blacker somehow than the 2011; and seems to be slightly fruiter version of it. Beautifully built; medium/high dusty tannins, medium acid and medium/full-body culminate in a medium/long finish. Very impressive, and will be for a decade. Perhaps slightly greater potential than the ‘11 I think.

2012 Tyrrell's Shiraz Lunatiq Heathcote - Australia, Victoria, Central Victoria, Heathcote
{screwcap, 13.5%} Any 2012 shiraz from Tyrrell’s isn’t going to come from the Hunter. I had a recollection this used to be a brute of a style; this is quite polished. Sweet strawberry and chocolate nose. Lots of rich mid-palate fruit. Medium oak, medium acid; it’s medium/full-bodied, ripe but not over the top. The name’s a bit out of character really.

Small Winemakers Centre
I dropped in here to taste Andrew Thomas specifically; got talked into a couple of other Hunter shirazes which were OK, but not quite exciting enough to make me plonk down my hard-earned…

2014 Andrew Thomas Wines Sémillon Braemore - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 10.8%, A$30} Predictably youthful but surprisingly citrusy nose. The palate is crunchy; it’ rather minerally and crystal-like, with lemongrass flavours spotlit by medium/high acidity. It’s still only light/medium-bodied, with a dry, medium-length finish. Should be very good, although this cuvee does seem to be primarily a medium-term cellar prospect.

2014 Andrew Thomas Wines Sémillon The O.C - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
{screwcap, A$25} Overt lemongrass here; there’s an earthy quality to the palate as well; it remains light-bodied with medium acidity. Refreshing early drinker.

2008 Andrew Thomas Wines Sémillon Cellar Reserve Braemore - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
{screwcap, A$50} Toasty and aged. A citrus tang, along with a nutty quality. Still medium acid present. The palate has a resiny quality, or glue. Mead/honey; it’s a weird mix of flavours, but always bone-dry on the palate. Perhaps more advanced than I was expecting; I reckon this is in ‘drink now’ territory.

2011 Andrew Thomas Wines Shiraz DJV - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 13%, A$35} A jubey and spicy nose. Smoky oak blends with sweet small berry fruit flavours; there are medium dusty tannins resulting. Medium-bodied, it has a tangy spiced finish of medium length, all carried by medium/high acid. Part of the explanation for that might be the fact it was (according to the CD lady) blended with 5% semillon. Hunter Rotie, I suppose. I thought this was good for the price; it should last a few years at least.

2012 Andrew Thomas Wines Shiraz Two of a Kind - Australia, South Eastern
{screwcap, 14%, A$25} In this vintage, no surprise that this is virtually all McLaren Vale fruit (it’s usually a more even blend with Hunter fruit) Sweet blackcurrant fruits. Plenty of spice and warmth too. Rich and sweet. Medium dusty tannins; medium-bodied. A flavour-packed early-drinking effort.

2011 The Little Wine Company Shiraz Little Gem - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 13.7%, A$35} An arresting nose dominated by sweet smoky oak, boysenberry and jam. The palate does have a jubey, confected quality to it; it’s enticing but somehow a bit obvious. Low powdery tannins and gentle acidity indicate a wine of instant appeal ready to drink now.

2011 Andrew Thomas Wines Shiraz Elenay - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
{screwcap, A$50} Beautiful spicy, plummy fruits. Medium acidity. The palate is very even, rent with polished fruit framed by medium/high powdery tannins. All class; it’s hard to pick out too many highlights when it has such integrity. Very good indeed, and should age beautifully. $10 cheaper and I’d have bought some!

2013 Hart & Hunter Shiraz Ablington - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
{screwcap, A$47} Plummy and perfumed nose of culminating with some white pepper. It’s a fruit-driven wine, initially quite gentle on the oak and tannin, although there’s a tobacco-like note too; the medium-bodied palate then shows some overt fruit sweetness before a medium-length finish which just attenuates to the point when it just fails to really interest. Not a bad wine, but doesn’t quite have the quality to justify the price.

Lakes Folly
Bottles just sit on an upended barrel in the little antechamber room at Lakes; in January this makes them just a bit warm at ambient temperature to show at their best. The sign of a winery that’s only open for a few weeks until everything is sold I guess…

2013 Lake's Folly Chardonnay - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 13%, A$50} Grapefruit and lots of oak. Quite nutty in fact. Medium-bodied, dry and savoury, medium/full-bodied, fine cedary and nutty flavours. Medium acidity, with a medium length finish. Pretty nice chardy, although doesn’t really grab at this age.

2012 Lake's Folly Cabernets - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
{cork, 12%, A$65} Essence of light currents, herbs, tobacco. Lightish palate which lacks a lot of concentration and depth, it’s still nicely structured with fine dusty tannins but presents a largely front-palate presence. The only cabernet I tasted all day; it’s hard to find the right context for this. Evidently the cabernet coped with all the 2012 vintage rain than the shiraz, which was a total washout. This is 86% cabernet, with malbec and PV the balance. It’s rather more old-world in style; the herbal quality to this never really leans to harsh unripeness though, despite what you might think from the alcohol level. Still, I doubt this will be a very long living Folly: drink before 2020 is my opinion.

Tower Estate
Long time no visit for me. Place is deserted; one couple come in while I’m there. Weird set-up, yet another grandiose scheme of Len Evans’ which in the end has amounted to…what…something that should have been more than it is? Gotta know your strengths I s’pose… Wines are not so overpriced as you might expect, however.

2013 Tower Estate Sémillon Coombe Rise Vineyard - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 11.8%, A$22} Standard issue straw and lemon. Plenty of favour on the light/medium-bodied palate; there is citrus and straw fruit throughout, with medium/high crisp acid framing a light/medium body. Disappointingly, the finish is short-medium length at best; this seems very competently made, but not from the finest ingredients, perhaps. A reasonable interpretation of the flavours of Hunter Semillon, but without the aging potential you expect.

2013 Tower Estate Riesling Watervale - Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Watervale
{screwcap, 11.8%, A$22} Gosh, the lime-like underpinning of this is very evident after a day’s worth of semillons! The palate has a lovely citrus and spring water character, medium acid, a light/medium weight, and a medium/long, crunchy, refreshing and dry finish. Nice wine; bit pricey maybe, considering the pedigree.

2012 Tower Estate Pinot Noir Tasmania - Australia, Tasmania
{screwcap, 13%, A$45} Mostly Huon Valley (Panorama Vineyard) fruit, with some ex-Meadowbank (Coal Valley) thrown in. Bright cherry nose. A touch of tobacco and deli meats on the palate too; soft tannins, light/medium-body only and a barely short-medium finish make it a decent, but not outstanding wine for the price. Less impressive than the 2010 tasted a year or two ago. OK wine in the short term.

2011 Tower Estate Shiraz - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 13.5%, A$32} Very hunter in character, with dust and earth, smudgy red fruits, soft mulberries, and a warm spicy finish. Medium-bodied, with a medium-length finish. It’s the medium/acid that gives it an attractive lively character. Decent wine which might age nicely in the medium term.

2013 Tower Estate Shiraz Freeman Vineyard - Australia, New South Wales, Southern New South Wales, Hilltops
{screwcap, A$30} A real menthol and spearmint, cool-climate nose. Quite tannic, be they fine powdery ones; but the fruit is very minty indeed. Medium body; it’s all rather forward in the mouth, leaving the back-palate rather neglected. OK wine, but I don’t see the value here.

2007 Tower Estate Shiraz Reserve - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 13%, A$45} Rich and plummy earth-infused nose ; and palate too, along with mulberries and plum flavours. Even palate; it’s begun to move off primary certainly, but is still a way from its peak. Medium dusty tannins, medium oak, acid, body; it’s all very well balanced and structured. Somewhat developed, might have some way further to go, should hold another ten years easy.

Mount Pleasant
There’s a thorough revamp under way of the Mount Pleasant range of wines. Strictly Hunter now, they’ re cutting production of the retail flagship Lovedale and O’Shea wines (to bolster pricing and contribute to an image overhaul). Also, they’re spotlighting other parcels of fruit from some of their valuable heritage vineyards to give a bunch of price and release-date options. It’s going to be rather baffling label-wise, but also exciting for winelovers who appreciate Hunter styles and the ability of historic vines to present fascinating and absorbing wines. McWilliams claim some 110ha of vineyard in the Hunter Valley, of which five are the best-known; the three exclusively shiraz vineyards are: Rosehill 27ha (planted 1946), Old Paddock just .75ha ( 1920s), and the Old Hill 3ha (1880). Lovedale’s 31ha (planted 1946) is three-quarters Semillon, most of the rest is chardonnay presumably planted later. The Estate Vineyard (29ha) is two-thirds shiraz, with 20% merlot and some smaller random plots, including ancient pinot noir. A lot of these presumably limited-release wines will be vintage-dependent; so the quality of the minor labels (the royal pair of Elizabeth and Phillip for example) may actually improve in the lesser vintages if they get enough declassified fruit. Confusing, but possibly rewarding days are ahead. It’s worth joining the mailing list; there’s 20% discount on offer against the prices below, and the limited release new labels won’t be available otherwise. Young James at the CD was outstanding; one of the most engaging winery experiences I’ve had. No apparent sign at the CD of the Evans, Lillydale or Brands arms of the McWilliams family business either. Interesting and…, even noble, somehow; to be promoting just the Hunter in the Hunter.

2013 McWilliam's Mount Pleasant Wines Sémillon Eight Acres - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley, Pokolbin
{screwcap, 10.9%, A$27} A selection off the Lovedale vineyard. Smoky and citric. Juicy flavours in the hunter semillon style, be they rather closed; light/medium-bodied, medium-length dry finish. A cut above Elizabeth, so about where its priced. Decent wine with a few years in front of it.

2014 McWilliam's Mount Pleasant Wines Sémillon 1946 Vines Lovedale Hunter Valley - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 11.5%, A$75} An extraordinarily pure nose of lemongrass and straw aromas. Despite pronounced medium/high acidity, this has the creamiest texture imagineable. The length and purity of this is endless. The flavours are only as shy as you’d expect from such young Semillon, but, my goodness, this is about the most remarkable young Semillon I’ve ever tasted. You fear that something tasting so good now can age without losing appeal, but who knows…

2007 McWilliam's Mount Pleasant Wines Sémillon Lovedale - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 11.5%, A$64} Smoky and toasty. Citrus fruits with a honey twist. Still young; the acid is holding up well; it’s light/medium-bodied, dry, and with a medium/long finish. Great example of hunter Semillon with another decade’s aging at least ahead of it.

2003 McWilliam's Mount Pleasant Wines Sémillon Lovedale - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
{cork, 12%, A$80} The little “Show Cellar Release” sticker under the main label indicates that these bottles have been through the ‘Light Box’ analysis and massed muster. This largely guarantees freedom from oxidation, although not TCA taint. Doubtless the attrition rate is factored into the price of the good bottles! This is full and rich, and displays all the classic toast and honey hallmarks; medium-bodied weight, long, dry, chalky finish. Hefty for the style; the quite high alcohol suggests a very ripe year; it’s to the wine’s credit that the acid is holding up. All hail the screwcap for saving so many future vintages for the fate that no doubt met so many of these bottles.

2012 McWilliam's Mount Pleasant Wines Chardonnay Leontine - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley, Lower Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 13.5%, A$35} Figs and yeast; grapefruit, peach; the riot of experience on the nose reflects the ‘everything’ approach which went into the making of this; mix of grapehandling, ferment, yeast, battonage, age and origin of oak; this has a bit of everything. Of all the multiple techniques used, it’s the slightly edgy character to the wine which betrays the wild yeast component of the ferment. The palate shows the full spectrum of warm climate chardonnay characters; overall the wine is medium-bodied, with sensible oak treatment, and a medium/long finish. I thought this very good indeed now and probably for the medium term.

2013 McWilliam's Mount Pleasant Wines Pinot Noir Mothervine - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 12%, A$48} MV6 clone pinot planted in 1921 in the Estate vineyard; claimed by Mount Pleasant to be the oldest pinot vines in the country. More Hunter than obviously pinot; earthy, burgundian; spiced red fruits, but more dirt and acid, with medium gritty tannins. Medium-bodied, with a medium-length finish. One for the structuralists. Ought to work in the medium term.

2013 McWilliam's Mount Pleasant Wines Mount Henry - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 13%, A$48} In a sense you don’t get more unfashionable than this; the throwback to the original Maurice O’Shea blend. Maybe detractors would claim this near 50/50 blend spoils either decent pinot or decent shiraz, I suppose. It’s all earthy, spicy fruits; it is if anything lighter than the straight pinot Mothervine bottling from the same vintage. Light/medium-bodied, with lots of acid, little oak or alcoholic heat. Savoury and dry. Proper Hunter wine. O’Shea’s efforts lasted half a century; this should be OK for a decade.

2011 McWilliam's Mount Pleasant Wines Shiraz High Paddock - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 13.5%, A$27} From a part of the Rosehill vineyard. Soft red berry and earth flavours and aromas. There’s medium level acidity which doesn’t really supress the slight jamminess of the fruit. It’s light on the oak; there are fine dusty tannins; the wine is medium-bodied, a bit forward perhaps. All grape, really, but none the worse for that. Good price for a medium-term wine.

2011 McWilliam's Mount Pleasant Wines Shiraz Rosehill - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley, Lower Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 13.5%, A$40} Rich, youthful with spicy plums and blackberries. Little oak, medium gritty tannins, medium-bodied; it has spice, pepper and earth flavours, and a medium length finish. Just doesn’t quite make it somehow; certainly not for the price premium over the High Paddock bottling. Better off spending the extra and going for the OP&OH.

2011 McWilliam's Mount Pleasant Wines Shiraz Old Paddock & Old Hill - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley, Lower Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 13.5%, A$58} A medium-bodied and –structured wine in every respect save the longish finish; this offers spicy and exotic fruit, with great depth of flavour and concentrated forest floor/earthy notes. Among the better recent OP&OHs I think; the oak is less coarse here than it has been. This is good Hunter shiraz; at the member price of ~A$46 the value is fair; especially as it’s been a while since an aged OP&OH has really impressed. So, good now, but who knows beyond that? At least the alcohol level is sensible once again.

2011 McWilliam's Mount Pleasant Wines Shiraz Mountain 'A' - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley, Lower Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 13.5%, A$75} Labelled in O’Shea style as ‘Medium-bodied Dry Red’. Sourced from blocks of the Rosehill vineyard planted in 1946, 1965, and 1990s in the ratio 25:50:25. Aging in all-French oak, half new, for 20 months. Liquorice first on the nose, then cherry spice and resin. The palate is rich and concentrated, with those cherried fruits, chalky tannins and medium/full-bodied weight. Dry and savoury, with a medium/long savoury finish, it’s a clear step up from the OP&OH. With no provenance, aging is anyone’s guess.

2011 McWilliam's Mount Pleasant Wines Shiraz Mountain 'D' - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley, Lower Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 13.5%, A$75} Labelled in O’Shea style as ‘Full-bodied Dry Red’. Sourced from blocks of the Old Hill vineyard planted in 1880. Aging 90/10 in French & Russian oak, half new, for 20 months, followed post-blending by 3 months in large old French oak. Dark blackberry, cherry, plum fruit. Very youthful indeed for 4 years old. Immense concentration of spicy shiraz fruit. Medium/full-bodied (the distinction between this and the ‘A’ medium-bodied red is pretty subtle I must say), with medium/high powdery tannins and a long dry, polished finish. This is very fine indeed; only the price scared me off!

2013 McWilliam's Mount Pleasant Wines Shiraz 1946 Vines Rosehill - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley, Lower Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 13.5%, A$125} With this many shirazes off the same vineyards, in similar seasons, it’s rather harder to distinguish these one after another than if they were side-by-side on the table. That acknowledged, this is as stupendously pure as its ‘Mountain’ siblings, perhaps the extra depth of concentration apparent is due to its relative youth; it’s remains medium/full-bodied, and still purely fruit-driven. As we ascend the scale quality of these 2011/13 Mount Pleasant shirazes, what becomes the distinguishing feature between the ‘cru’ is the evenness with which they coat the tongue, and the length and polish of the finish. This is pretty much the top of the tree in that regard; the finish seems endless yet beguiling; it’s not about power, just purity. Wonderful wine; shame about the price, obviously.

2011 McWilliam's Mount Pleasant Wines Shiraz Maurice O'Shea - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley, Lower Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 13.5%, A$110} At this stage of the tasting I don’t find the O’Shea all that different to the 1946 Rosehill vines wine, save that perhaps it has an extra degree of malty oak apparent, placing the spicy, earthy fruit just a little more in the background. With the production cut the standard of this wine should lift somewhat; certainly the price has; this has a wonderfully long savoury finish to its near-full-bodied presence and weight. Smooth, polished. Very good indeed. Save for a decade, possible two, as with each of the last four wines in the tasting.

2014 McWilliam's Mount Pleasant Wines Sémillon B-Side - LS8 - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 8%, A$27} Off-dry style. No botrytis. A bit soft on the acid; that 8% strength reflects the remaining sugar unfermented in the wine; it’s not too sweet thankfully, but it’s not a terribly nuanced offering. Straw, grass and honey; there’s a real lick of sweetness pervading the wine. Finish is a bit short and one-dimensional.

The biggest makers in the valley are turning out very good wines these days.
It's also good to see not a single red above 13.5%, which is what the valley should be doing.
Always worth a visit, but more so these days.
Prices aren't stupid either, tastings are usually free, and they pour the good stuff if you're obviously interested and not just on a bar tour...
Thoroughly recommended.
cheers,
Graeme

[Mick 1955]

Thanks for the detailed notes GraemeG - that's a great read (had me salivating !). Tyrrells are always a highlight visit for me when I get up that way.
Some of the pricing at McWilliams is beginning to look a bit scary though. Makes Andrew Thomas look increasingly better VFM, e.g. Sweewater Shiraz at $35 (approx. $30 for members).
Thanks again.
Mick 1955

[Phil H]

Thanks Graeme for such comprehensive notes. I am always interested in Mount Pleasant, in particular the OPOH and recently the Mount Henry. However I have to agree the prices seem to have escalated in the last couple of years.

[TiggerK]

Yep, great work Graeme, one of my most common sayings is "really must get up to the Hunter more often'. And this is reinforcing that even more. Good to see a more singular Hunter focus from some wineries too.

No apparent sign at the CD of the Evans, Lillydale or Brands arms of the McWilliams family business either. Interesting and…, even noble, somehow; to be promoting just the Hunter in the Hunter.

Fascinating. Brands in particular has always been on their CD tasting lists whenever I've been there, not been for a year or so though... nice to see more focus on Hunter in the Hunter, especially from them!

[phillisc]

Graeme, thanks for the report.
Have always enjoyed Rosehill, OP&OH, but the price of the O'shea would be beyond me now.

I think there can be great value to be found with both the Philip and Elizabeth, particularly with those new to the Hunter.

Cheers
Craig

[Polymer]

2014 Tyrrell's Sémillon Johnno's Block - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
{screwcap, 11.5%, A$38} Pure grass, citric qualities, with a touch of honey. Medium level acidity, but only light-bodied. The palate is soft and floral, with a pure watery limpidity to it. Ethereal and restrained. Very pretty. Nice to drink now; wonder how these are aging?

I have the same opinion about Johnnos Sem...by the numbers, it should have relatively high acidity with the pH for most of these being sub 3 to just above 3..and the TA being always in the 7's..some very similar to a lot of VAT 1s...but for whatever reason, it feels really soft on the palate..with the acidity only coming through to me on the finish....Watery limpidity would be a good description....

Not a great judge of young Semillon except that it needs acid...Based on what I taste now, I'm not sure this will get to a Vat 1 type position down the line..but based on the numbers and the maker, I have some just because I have faith it'll do what it should...

[Brucer]

Fantastic notes Graeme,
Your comments about the 2014 Mt Pleasant 1946 semillon are exciting.
James Halliday said similar.
I am seeing great changes at Mount Pleasant since Jim Chatto arrived. Yahoo!