The Auswine Forum

TYRRELLÂ’S HUNTER VALLEY CELLAR DOOR REPORT

I already reviewed the superb 2003 Vat 9 Hunter Shiraz from this winery on this forum (click here to read) but I would like to share the rest of my Tyrrell's experiences with those interested in this Hunter Valley winery. In the tasting room I had the luck to be served by the no nonsense Aussie guy, Richard Earnshaw. I asked him for the top and better wines only and with a smile and quick nod he grabbed and poured the first bottle. My brief impressions are:

2004 TYRRELLÂ’S Vat 1 Semillon
I could tell by the first sip that this will be an outstanding and great Vat 1 in time. Currently available with the cellar door only label at a very low price of AU $23, so those following this wine better get moving. Colour clear bright hay. Ripe lemon on nose with citrus. Very exciting and interesting palate. First appearing delicate and lovely with cleansing acid, but in the second glass its underlying power shows through. Nice and tasty, but have it with food as it will "weigh" in on you. A concentrated and absolutely serious wine. Beautifully aromatic, it will be as great in time as the magnificent 1989.




1998 TYRRELLÂ’S Vat 1 Semillon
Colour bright hay with slight gold. Interestingly, strong fig aromas on the nose that surprised me. Appearing closed now, there is a slight "hole" in the mid palate, this wine needs cellaring for at least 5 more years. Very powerful and mouth watering acid on the finish. Good wine, better than the 1997 but will never be as great as the 2004.

1995 TYRRELLÂ’S Vat 1 Semillon
Colour bright golden. Noble, almost Chablis like nose. Obviously classy after the first sip, it is an attention grabbing wine. Lovely white stone fruits on the palate with delicate figs. A very complex, beautiful wine that will develop even more character and complexity in the future. I have no doubt itÂ’s one of the greats. A delicious Semillon that will convert those who donÂ’t believe in this grape variety. Cost AU $65 but never mind, it is absolutely worth it.

1998 TYRRELLÂ’S Reserve Belford Reserve Semillon
Richard told me that the 1997 of this wine is quite outstanding. I read about it in the wine press, so I was looking forward to this 1998. Immediately powerful grip on the palate, much different in style to the Vat 1. It is an intense and full bodied wine. Good honest white with power. Would be great with food. Lacks the class and elegance of the Vat 1 Semillon.

2004 TYRRELLÂ’S Vat 47 Chardonnay
I found it hard to believe how much this Chardonnay tasted like a cool climate wine as it was 41+C degrees outside the vineyards when I walked in just after lunchtime. Colour very bright clear with hay. Smooth and delicious cool climate Chardonnay fruit on the palate. Very well balanced and expertly made wine with a long finish. Classy winemaking, it was fermented and aged in French oak for seven months. Attractive wine, worth the AU $35 asking price cellar door.

2000 TYRRELLÂ’S Vat 47 Chardonnay
As above, only 4 years older! It is a very similar tasting experience to the 2004 although the age means more roundness and a deeper taste. At five years of age this Chardonnay is going very strong and will last 5 more years. Nicely made. Cost AU $43.

2000 TYRRELLÂ’S Vat 6 Pinot Noir
I find nothing wrong with Pinot Noir grown in the Hunter, especially after tasting this example. The expertise is here at this winery as it was Murray Tyrrell who released the first Pinot Noir in Australia back in 1973. Result of a very dry vintage, grapes were picked from the HVD and NVC vineyards. Aged in French oak for 8 months, it is a ripe wine with 14.5% vol. alcohol. Colour quite brownish, according to Richard “apricot red”. Surprised me for sure as I’ve only seen this colour before in the wines of unfiltered rustic Burgundies. Reserved nose with raspberries and red fruits. Full and thick palate with lovely and delicious fruit. Some dusty bitter oak taste on the finish. An unpolished, rustic wine that is very likeable. Amazingly Burgundian, like an unfiltered Gevrey-Chambertin village wine. This pinot is very well made and will last a few more years. An original Hunter style for sure. If you want to try it, the good adventure will cost you AU $48. Worth it for the rich and sweet fruit palate alone.


“Pretty good for a Hunter Pinot”-remarks Richard Earnshaw


2000 TYRRELLÂ’S Reserve Stevens Shiraz
Dark cherry colour. Velvety and soft like a handshake with a lady. Very good drinking now, typically Hunter. DoesnÂ’t need more ageing but can be cellared for 5 years. Good gripping tannins on the finish. A tasty wine that is lacking a little focus and concentration. Still, very decent.

2003 TYRRELLÂ’S Vat 8 Shiraz Cabernet
Good concentration of fruit. Quite tasty and nice but lacks the excitement for me. It will be better in time, no doubt.

1999 TYRRELLÂ’S Vat 8 Shiraz Cabernet
It was a great way to finish my visit and tasting at this cellar door as this red is lovely. A blend of Shiraz from the Hunter and Cabernet from TyrrellÂ’s own St. MaryÂ’s vineyard in Coonawarra. Excellent burnt rubber, road tarmac nose from the Shiraz. On the palate, fine tannins and delicious red fruits mixing with plum. It has a traditional feel with earthy characters and dusty oak. Authentic and very well made, I liked it a lot. IÂ’d like to mention that the 1998 vintage of this wine, while being well made, didnÂ’t impress me much as it lacked the excitement of this 1999.



I enjoyed this cellar door visit. It was long overdue.

Cheers,
Attila

Attila wrote:
2004 TYRRELLÂ’S Vat 47 Chardonnay
I found it hard to believe how much this Chardonnay tasted like a cool climate wine as it was 41+C degrees outside the vineyards when I walked in just after lunchtime. Colour very bright clear with hay. Smooth and delicious cool climate Chardonnay fruit on the palate. Very well balanced and expertly made wine with a long finish. Classy winemaking, it was fermented and aged in French oak for seven months. Attractive wine, worth the AU $35 asking price cellar door.

2000 TYRRELLÂ’S Vat 47 Chardonnay
As above, only 4 years older! It is a very similar tasting experience to the 2004 although the age means more roundness and a deeper taste. At five years of age this Chardonnay is going very strong and will last 5 more years. Nicely made. Cost AU $43.

The 2000 can still be purchased at a lot of wine shops for around $35. This is an exceptional Chardonnay for the money.

Attila

Great report.

I am off to the Hunter next month ( begrudgingly as have to cancel a Barossa visit ) and need some help.

Firstly, what are the must see Cellar Doors and must buy wines?

Also looking for some Hunter wines to put in the cellar with a view to long term aging- shiraz and semillon. Tyrell's a good bet any others?

When is Graveyard released?

Sorry to go off on a tangent from your excellent report, but have no experience with the Hunter.

2002 graveyard is out - also check out their wade block 2, mistress block, and rayner vineyard (all shiraz) if u can.

Cheers - JB

JamieBahrain wrote:Attila

Great report.

I am off to the Hunter next month ( begrudgingly as have to cancel a Barossa visit ) and need some help.

Firstly, what are the must see Cellar Doors and must buy wines?

Also looking for some Hunter wines to put in the cellar with a view to long term aging- shiraz and semillon. Tyrell's a good bet any others?

When is Graveyard released?

Sorry to go off on a tangent from your excellent report, but have no experience with the Hunter.

Tyrrell's and Mount Pleasant are my absolute must-dos. I think Attila will agree.

Chateau Francois (next to Tyrrell's) and Cruickshank (Upper Hunter though) are sensational wineries as well, especially in value for money terms... and Lakes Folly and Brokenwood are the other 2 that make up my Top 6.

Attila will probably mention Tower Estate in his top few.

Kind regards,
Adair

FWIW - these were my comments to a similar question on Mark Squires:
Hunter Valley: I amuse myself at some of the sentiments about the Hunter Valley, but that is fine. The Hunter Valley is my other favourite Australian wine region. If you donÂ’t like the style or flavours of traditional Hunter Shiraz and aged Hunter Semillon, I donÂ’t think any less of your palate. Your palate just does not appreciate the same things as mine. The 2 Hunter wineries that are must-doÂ’s are:
1) McWilliamÂ’s Mount Pleasant: Sensational wines across the Hunter Semillon, Shiraz and fortified range, including aged releases to compare vintages and benefits of age. They have a range of Shiraz from traditional Hunter to a few that are slightly more South Australia like (the OÂ’Shea) but still true to terrior. It is also a great place to spend lunch time as the facilities are great and large enough to handle a crowd (and their staffing is excellent), and the Elizabeth restaurant provides good food and great outlook.
2) Tyrrell’s: Hunter Semillon and Hunter Shiraz specialists – in the traditional style. It opens at 8:30am, although you don’t need to get there at that time (I do though) but the experience is better if you get there before 11am as their cellar door tends to get busy.
Also:
3) Lakes Folly – 2 wines: a Bordeaux blend and a Chardonnay, in a region known for Shiraz and Semillon. Worth the 10 minutes as their wines can be extraordinary.
4) Brokenwood – Hunter Valley’s most expensive and arguably greatest Shiraz, although it can be quite South Australia like in some years.

2003 reds looking terrific. See what you can find.

2004 Semillon's ,great potential. Tower Estate, Keith Tulloch and Tyrrells Vat 1(totally in agreement with Attila) are excellent examples.

Cheers

JamieBahrain wrote:Attila


I am off to the Hunter next month ( begrudgingly as have to cancel a Barossa visit ) and need some help.

Firstly, what are the must see Cellar Doors and must buy wines?

Also looking for some Hunter wines to put in the cellar with a view to long term aging- shiraz and semillon. Tyrell's a good bet any others?

When is Graveyard released?

Sorry to go off on a tangent from your excellent report, but have no experience with the Hunter.

Thanks Jamie!

Adair mostly answered your question. If you buy cellar door, watch out for the heat as it can damage the wine if you put it into your car and tour around. Visit MP, Brokenwood, Tyrrells, Tower for sure-at Tower buy the sensational and delicious 2002 Shiraz for lovely drinking and the 2004 Semillon. Get the 2003 Vat 9 for sure. You can also call in randomly here and there as never know where you'll find treasures.
Good luck!
Attila

Attila wrote: You can also call in randomly here and there as never know where you'll find treasures.

Attila

but not McGuigans, where instead you'll find fine marketing!

Would recommend the Boutique wine centre as a bit of a catch-all for some of the smaller producers.

The surprise at McGuigans is the little cheese shop where you can taste and buy the outstanding Hunter Valley brie that is sold through DJ as well.
It's not all bad even at that cellar door.
Cheers,
Attila

Attila wrote:The surprise at McGuigans is the little cheese shop where you can taste and buy the outstanding Hunter Valley brie that is sold through DJ as well.
It's not all bad even at that cellar door.
Cheers,
Attila

Attila, you did very well at the cheese shop by the sounds. We stopped in ther on our last trip to the Hunter, and it was packed to the roof with toursts, and we couldnt even get to the counter.

Thanks to all for the heads up n the vintages, I've been wondering how the Hunter has fared recently as I havent looked at any wines from there since the 2000 Vintage,

cheers

Andrew

Thanks Gentleman

Any impressions of the latest release Graveyard?

Also, cellar door purchases in the Hunter Valley, are they good value? Or am I better suited trying at cellar door and buying in the cities?

I rarely buy at cellar door in the Hunter unless it is a back vintage that you cannot get. Most wines are cheaper and at other stores.
MM.

The advantage with the Tyrrell's cellar door is these 2004 Vat white wines (thankfully now sealed under screwcap) are not available at retail. The Vat 1 has clearly settled down over the last 4 months, as Bruce Tyrrell said it would. Back in September at the new release tasting, it was nigh on undrinkable - just a mouthful of sulphur. The same could be said for the Vat 18 semillon, and the Vat 63 sem/chard blend. Only the Vat 4 Stevens was near drinkable! The sulphur is swallowed up within 6 months, Tyrrell reckons.

I also find Marsh Estate worth a visit for traditional old-fashioned wines. Tower is OK, but there are rarely more than 2 Hunter wines there.

cheers,
Graeme

2002 Graveyard - medium to dark in colour with a touch of purple. On the nose, earthy hunter, sweetness (think nice soft berries and even some choc/mocha). The palate isn't too sweet - with some vanillan oak, more of the mocha character follwing from the nose, ripe dark berry flavours and finishing long with some gentle and well balanced tannins. Not a big balltearer, in the hunter style, but a really tidy wine all the same.

Cheers - JB

Thanks JB