Winetastic

Keith Tulloch Wine believes “The art of winemaking is a focus on excellence with a passion and commitment to create wines with personality, without compromise…”

The Tulloch family have been an integral part of the Hunter Valley since 1896, there are only a few families in Australia which can claim to have a history spanning over a century. Keith Tulloch, a fourth generation winemaker, worked for Lindemans and Rothbury before establishing his own boutique winery back in 1997. Having heard good things from other wine makers in the region we decided it was time to go and have sneaky peak! The Keith Tulloch cellar door is located on Hermitage Road and offers tasting from the first floor veranda overlooking the picturesque vineyards of the Hunter and the Brokenback mountain range. This setting alone makes this cellar door a must visit if you are in the Hunter.

The wines at Keith Tulloch are all refined and elegant bringing out the best the Hunter Valley has to offer. The semillon is young, with a juicy freshness and a lovely crisp balance that indicates patient cellaring will reap plenty of rewards. A taste of the merlot reveals a rich and fruity flavour with a lovely mouthfilling fine tannin that again will age nicely. Sipping the shiraz viogner allows you to discover a highly perfumed, silky drink young wine tasting of fully ripe dark berries leading into a plum, almost cherry finish. I haven’t even come to the highlight of the tasting yet!

The standout wine, without a shadow of a doubt, is the Kester Shiraz… Sourced from old dry-farmed Hunter Valley vineyards, the grapes used in this wine are fermented with a trace of Viognier in open vats for four weeks, are plunged by hand and then allowed to mature in fine french oak barrels for twenty months. The almost intoxicating nose is made up of dark berry, dark chocolate and liqorice with a subtle hint of earthiness. The palate consists of ripe berry fruit, a hint of oak and spice with a velvety richness of tannin that leaves you sure you are drinking a premium Hunter Valley shiraz. If you can resist the urge to drink this wine then cellaring for ten to maybe even twenty years holds so much potential.

Peterson House is unique to the Hunter Valley, specialising in premium sparkling wines made by traditional methodè champenoise*. They host a series of wines to suit most drinkers, their sparkling range consists of the easy drinking “Blush” through to the premium blends that everyone can enjoy. The staff are friendly and knowledgable and happy to talk you through the range of wines on offer for tastings.

The Peterson House Gateway ($17.50) was a stand out wine for me, soft straw in colour and a developed nose of toast and fruit characters the palate is full with subtle citrus and hints of biscuit. An approachable easy-drinking wine with a clean soft finish that will appeal to the masses.

If you’re looking for something a bit sweeter then try the Pink Blush Rose ($17), a wine with an enchanting pink strawberry colour and fresh fruity aromas, fairly sweet on the mid palate with a clean fresh finish.

Peterson House have an excellent range of sparkling reds, especially the 2004 Sparkling Merlot($27) which is a vibrant crimson wine with a spicy berry aroma, the palate shows typical Merlot characters of berry and cinnamon. Another good red is the N/V Sparkling Shiraz Reserve ($34). This wine has a complexity and smoothness developed from four years aging on yeast lees and the palate is typical of a Hunter Shiraz with earthy and peppery characteristics.

If you’re after something a bit different then try the 2004 Botrytis Semillon ($25), this was the first sparkling dessert wine i’d tried and I was pleasantly surprised. A soft gold in colour with the aroma of wild honey and apricots, this is a well balanced wine that shows elegance and structure.

I would highly recomend a visit to Peterson House if you happen to be in the Hunter, they have an excellent range of sparkling wines available with something to suit everyone’s taste and budget.

*The conversion of a base wine into a sparkling wine using this traditional method can take from 9 months and up to 4 years. The bulk wine is tiraged/ bottled where it will go through a secondary fermentation in the bottle from 9 months to 4 years. The wine is then stored upside-down in wooden crates until such time as it will be disgorged ready for consumption. Riddling & Disgorging is the next process which involves the removal the dead yeast cells, achieved by freezing the necks of the bottle, forcing the yeast to extract. Additional liquor is added to get the desired sweetness and body required by the winemaker and the wine is then ready for consumption.

Irongate Estate is a relatively new and modern winery and vineyard located in the lower Hunter Valley. The cellar door itself is an impressive Mediterranean style villa, and like the winery itself, no expense has been spared in its construction.

The wines at Irongate are all very approachable in style and are idealy drunk upon release or after a short visit to the cellar. One of the standouts is the Irongate Estate Semillon 2001 ($20), which has some of the most distinctive lemon and lime characters of any Hunter Semillon, combined with a little toasty aged complexity, it remains a personal favorite.

I would happily drink all of the Irongate reds, including Shiraz and Cabernet, however if you are looking for a wine that is somewhat unique, it is hard to go past the Irongate Estate Sweet Shiraz 2004 ($25). Exhibiting loads of up-front berry fruit flavour, this is a well balanced dessert wine that is ideal when matched with rich chocolate treats. The cellar door tasting of this wine includes a sample of chocolate cake, the flavours combine to resemble a wine-infused blackforest gateau.

My only complaint is that the Irongate website is years out of date and they do not appear to respond to emails, tsk tsk.

Website: http://www.iron-gate-estate.com.au

Wyndham Estate is located in Branxton, around 20-30min drive north of Pokolbin in the Lower Hunter Valley. Located on a sizable estate, there are function facilities which cater for weddings and other events, along with a cellar door that contains two very large tasting bars. The staff are good for a laugh and during our late afternoon visit, were engaging in a fair amount of friendly banter.

The Wyndham Estate “Bin” range of red wines were a pleasant surprise, all are multi-regional blends, so those looking for “single vineyard expressions of hunter valley terroir” should stop probably reading now, however most of the reds were very promising for mid-week glugging purposes and are widely available in major bottle shops.

The Bin 555 Shiraz is produced from South Australian fruit, sourced mostly from McLaren Vale, Langhorne Creek and the Barossa Valley. Two versions are made, the Bin 555 Sparkling Shiraz NV ($12) was as good as any entry level sparkling red I have tried, showing up front berry fruit and a hint of sweetness. The still version, Bin 555 Shiraz 2004 ($12) also showed a good amount of character for the price, somewhat comparative to Hardy’s Oomoo Shiraz.

Surprisingly, the pick of the Bin Range was the Bin 888 Cabernet Merlot 2003 ($12), which exhibited a sound structure typically only found at higher price points. Decent quality fruit flavours of berry and plum came through, I could see myself drinking this wine from the bottle with a straw.

None of the white wines are really worth a mention, although the Late Harvest Semillon ($15) was a fair example for the money. Those in the know felt that the George Wyndham Old Tawny Port ($20) was pretty good as well, with distinct raisin flavours and not too much oak influence.

Last but not least is the Wyndham Estate Hunter Valley Shiraz 1999 ($30), one of only two Wyndham wines made exclusively from locally grown fruit. The price is very reasonable considering the bottle age, thus we picked one to review in the near future.

This would be a great cellar door to visit if you are fairly new to wine or a place to introduce friends to the joys of crushed and fermented grapes. The function facilities are very good and competitively priced and I feel that the estate is worth checking out for your next big event.

Website: http://www.wyndhamestate.com

Pioneered in 1858 Tyrrell’s Wines are one of the more established and renown wineries in the Hunter Valley. The cellar door isn’t a fancy affair for a company that are currently exporting to over 30 countries worldwide and producing over 500,000 cases of wine a year. We happened to be there on a particualarly busy day, so tastings were farily crowded and rushed, but the quality of Tyrrell’s wines is unquestionable.

Tyrrell’s Reserve Stevens range includes two wines, a Semillon and Shiraz, sourced from what are regarded as some of the finest old vineyards in the Hunter Valley. If you’re looking for your typical hunter red then the 2002 Reserve Stevens Shiraz is a great example with it’s ripe fruit, tight acid and integrated tannin structure, which has been enhanced further by four years bottle ageing prior to release.

Vat 9 has been the flagship of Tyrrell’s Shiraz production and it’s easy to see why. Handpicked fruit from old vines growing in soil that is heavy, rich volcanic clay with underlying limestone, this wine is known for it’s well structured palate with spicey fruit flavours and great length. The 2002 Vat 9 Hunter Shiraz is no exception though there is a hint of sweetness to be found.

I couldn’t do a cellar door write up and not mention Tyrrell’s Vat 1 Hunter Semillon, the winner of no less than 756 trophies and awards to date. One of Australia’s finest Semillons, Vat 1 epitomises the benefits of patient bottle ageing that can transform an unoaked wine. There are several vintages of Vat 1 available for tasting including the 1999 Vat 1 Hunter Semillon. This is a fantastic wine, mid green in colour with the clean lifted fruit aromas of the classic old style beginning to develop, the palate has tight citrus overtones and is just beginning to display toasty bottle aged complexity. If you’re in the Hunter I recommend stopping by Tyrrell’s, if only to taste the 2006 Vat 1 Hunter Semillon. A light green to gold in colour this wine has a nose richer and more intense than most young semillons. The palate is dominated by lanolin, citrus, a hint of sweetness and a clean acid finish, recommended cellaring until 2012, we walked away with two bottles of this at $27 cellar door price.

Producing some of Australia’s finest Semillon and Shiraz, Tyrrell’s is well worth a visit if you’re in the area. They have some decent and approachable entry level wine as well worth looking at.

I have fond memories of my first visit to Tamburlaine in the hunter valley. Organic wines, whites I actually liked and competitive prices to boot. Although the wines are still organic and good quality, the prices have unfortunately shot through the roof over the past couple of years.

Upon arrival, the cellar door was bustling with many visitors as well as a busload of obviously well lubricated tourists in the next room. There were plenty of attentive staff on hand however, and we were immediately handed some tasting glasses and a pushy sales pitch to join the Tamburlaine “wine club”. This was an off putting experience given that we were yet to actually taste any wine.

Tamburlaine produce wines from grapes grown both in the Hunter Valley, and their Orange Vineyard from central NSW. The Tamburlaine Hunter Verdelho 2004 ($22) is the best example of the variety I have tasted to date, presenting loads of tropical fruits with balancing acidity. Previously I had purchased several bottles of the 2003 vintage, however a jump in price of around $5 per bottle removed any notion of value for money.

Following the trend set by the Verdelho, the 2004 Hunter Syrah ($28) was a good example of the traditional red, however it struggled to hold its own against many other top producers we visited on this trip. The 2004 Orange Syrah ($28) was marginally better, presenting good cool climate Shiraz qualities of dark fruits and a little pepper. Both are well crafted wines, however they really should be priced below $20 to be competitive.

Overall the quality of the wines at Tamburlaine is good, however there are far better wines at lower prices available in the hunter valley, or any bottle shop for that matter. As a side note, their website is far from professional, is difficult to navigate and does not appear to have any useful information such as tasting notes or prices.

Website: http://www.tamburlaine.com.au

Before planning our most recent day trip to the hunter, I trolled the various aussie wine forums and asked around for suggestions on wineries to visit. Lakes Folly was one name which came up on a regular basis, however we turned up to the cellar door having absolutely no idea what to expect.

Lakes Folly are a small operation producing around 4500 cases a year. They produce two different wines, surprisingly neither are predominantly Semillon or Shiraz, infact Lakes Folly produce a chardonnay and a cabernet blend, both of which sell for around $45 a bottle. The 2004 Chardonnay is already sold out, so we only had the opportunity to taste one wine, the Lakes Folly Cabernets 2004 ($45). Well balanced with lovely red fruits showing through, I was most impressed by the length of this wine.

I should mention the high quality booklet which is available at the cellar door, containing a wealth of information on the history of the winery, storage and serving advice, along with vintage ratings and drinking windows right back to 1966.

The conclusion? If the wines fall within your budget, Lakes Folly are certainly worth a visit.

Website: http://www.lakesfolly.com.au

The Mount Pleasant cellar door is located on a rather picturesque hillside in the Hunter Valley. They have a vast array of wines available for tasting from around Australia since they are owned by McWilliams, however on our recent trip we remained focused on the local classics, Semillon and Shiraz. The tasting room itself is fairly large, obviously having capacity for busloads of visitors. Fortunately we arrived quite late in the day and things were fairly quiet, the staff were friendly and knowledgeable and we were definitely not treated like a number.

Mount Pleasant have several drink-now wines that represent decent quality and value for money, however things start to get more interesting when you look at their cellar release range of “Elizabeth” Semillon ($17.50) and “Phillip” Shiraz ($17.50). Both are very consistent performers, showing distinct varietal and regional character. Best of all, they can often be found for under $15 a bottle in stores and sometimes as low as $11.

Three vintages of the single vineyard “Lovedale” Semillon were available for tasting, the 1996 Lovedale ($40) which has some sticking cork issues, the 2000 Lovedale ($51) current release and finally a sneak peak at the 2005 Lovedale Semillon ($51). I felt they were all excellent examples of Hunter Semillon, however the pricing is definitely starting to hurt, especially given that Tyrrell’s have their Vat1 Semillon 2005 for under $30.

There were three different premium hunter red wines on offer, the Rosehill Shiraz 2000 ($32), which was my pick of the bunch, the Old Paddock & Old Hill 2002 ($38.50) and finally the Maurice O’Shea Shiraz 2003 ($60). The Rosehill and Old Paddock were described as “big boys” by the staff and are certainly fuller in flavour than many other hunter reds we tried this trip. The 2003 O’Shea is definitely a brilliant wine which I am glad we had the opportunity to taste, however there are better value options around.

Although Mount Pleasant are one of the larger players in the Hunter Valley, they offer excellent value for money with their cellar release range alongside premium selections that complete well with any other producer in the region. With wines at all price points, this is a winery with something for everyone.

Website: http://www.mountpleasantwines.com.au

Meerea Park wines are available for tasting at The Boutique Wine Centre at Pokolbin, in the Hunter Valley. The cellar door itself is a small and personal affair, where we were looked after very well by our host Garth.

We started by tasting the Meerea Park ‘Epoch’ Semillon 2005 ($19), which is a drink-now approachable style. Widely available in bottle shops for less, the wine is soft and refreshing with some subtle citrus flavours, expect a proper review soon. The ‘Alexander Munro’ Semillon 2001 ($35) is released having been aged for 5 years after vintage. Already showing some developed toasty characters, this wine is right up there with the Tyrrels and Mount Pleasant premium Semillons.

As we moved away from the whites, some good quality red wine tasting glasses were presented. I cannot understand why other cellar doors with premium offerings do not provide the right glassware, well done Boutique Wine Center. The first red off the ranks was the Meerea Park Shiraz Viognier 2004 ($19), I thought it was better than the 2003 vintage with the fruit showing through with just a hint of a floral lift and a savory, earthy finish. The 2003 Cabernet Merlot ($23) was the only non-hunter wine we tasted, it was good but soon to be overshadowed.

Meerea Park ‘The Aunts’ Shiraz 2004 ($26) is a stunning wine. Excellent balance and length, once again the fruit shows through, however not in an overt sense as you may have experienced from similar quality wines from SA or VIC. Very good value for money even at the cellar door price, this will be a wine you can source even cheaper from fine wine retailers. I hope to give this wine a proper review on Winetastic soon.

Our final tasting was the ‘Alexander Munro’ Shiraz 2003 ($48), a big step up in price and quality, tasting this wine was almost a religious experience. More refined in style than ‘The Aunts’ however still packed with loads of red and dark fruits, each sip revealed further flavours and complexity. If this wine falls within your budget, I strongly recommend rushing out to grab some.

Overall the wines of Meerea Park were the best we tasted in our day trip to the hunter. The service at the Boutique Wine Centre is also second to none, this will definitely be my first stop on my next trip.

Website: http://www.meereapark.com.au

De Bortoli are one of the larger wineries with a presence in the Riverina. They produce a great deal of their entry level wines in the region, such as their “Sacred Hill” and “Deen Vat” labels along with their flagship wine, the “Nobel One” Botrytis Semillon.

Like all the cellar doors for the larger producers, the De Bortoli store in the Riverina was more like a large bottle shop, with their entire range from Victoria and the Hunter Valley also available. There was a section designated for tasting, however there was a distinct lack of spittoons, which was not so nice as I was driving on the day.

I chose to taste only the locally produced wines, which meant the $10 vat range and the dessert wines. Some standouts were the Vat 4 Petit Verdot 2004 and the Vat 5 Botrytis Semillon 2004, which is like a baby Noble One. I was dissappointed to find they did not have any older vintages of the Noble One for tasting, however the 2003 was delicious as always.

Overall you will not find anything surprising at the De Bortoli cellar door in the Riverina. However the staff are friendly and there is the opportunity to drink some Noble One for free, so it is worth a visit if you are in the area. On second thoughts, the large range of entry level wines available for tasting, especially those in casks, makes De Bortoli an ideal location for those being driven around on a minibus.