There’s impressive concentration scaffolded into this ageworthy creation. A particularly deep and intense core of black plum and blackberry fruit manages to maintain a delightful, crunchy vibrancy. Dark chocolate oak is well balanced, carrying the fruit long into the finish, underlined by firm, fine tannins, built for the cellar. $45 direct.

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This is about as dark as Hunter shiraz gets, and then some – a Vader hue that could only be achieved in a dry-grown vineyard, yielding a miniscule 500kg of grapes per acre. A controlled generosity results, at first coiled and focused, then ramping up to impressive concentration of black plum skins, black cherries, liquorice, […]

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Kiss is a leading light in new age Hunter Shiraz, and 2010 is an outstanding example, capturing impressive fruit concentration within a refined, medium-bodied shell. There is wonderful intensity of enticingly pure black plum, black cherry and liquorice fruit, with a violet lift, yet at every moment restrained and calm, at a refreshing 13.5% alcohol. […]

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Meerea Park’s flagship shiraz encapsulates all the power of 2010, embracing the juicy fruit intensity that characterises the vintage, yet doing so with great precision. This is wine of focused, ripe black plum and blackberry fruits over a field of violets and layers of white pepper, hovering above a finely textured plane of soft tannins. […]

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DJV is Thommo’s shiraz to drink now, unashamedly flaunting its fruit ahead of structure and complexity. Old barrels guarantee that the woodwork remains completely invisible under plush cushions of sweet blackberries, juicy cherries and plums. A dose of early picked semillon in the ferment keeps things tangy, pulling into a long, savoury, softly structured finish. […]

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Profound things are at hand at Pepper Tree, and you will note a Matrix-like glitch in the passage of time when the graceful Tallavera 2011 and profound Coquun 2011 are unleashed on the world in the coming months. In the meantime, the estate shiraz of the house presents a vibrant and tangy style of considerable […]

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This is the wine that’s set to put Ironbark Hill on the map. I’d never heard of the estate before last week, and I’ve since discovered that this wine took out top gold in the Hunter Wine Show last month. No surprise. It’s harmonious, graceful, silky concentrated and downright delicious. How did they achieve such […]

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I adore the texture of this vineyard, its chalky mineral finesse providing a grace and silky persona to beautifully primary fruit. There’s great concentration of black plum and black cherry, nuanced with liquorice and violets, lingering long and seamless. A standout of a great vintage. $37 direct.

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From ten paces, you’d swear this was prestige champagne. On closer inspection, it’s a stylish champagne substitute from the south of France, just the thing for everyday drinking. A blend of chardonnay, mauzac (I’ve never heard of it, either!) and chenin blanc, assembled with the same methode traditionnelle as champagne. Two years maturation gives an […]

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The rise and rise of De Iuliis shiraz has been a captivating spectacle in recent vintages. No surprise that it swoops in with one of the best $20 (street price) newcomers in 2011. This is the young and friendly member of the family; refreshing and relaxed, with vibrant cherry/berry fruits and tangy acidity. Soft, supple […]

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