Over a glass of wine last night my wife and I started discussing which dozen wines we would put together to showcase the best of the Hunter Valley to somebody who has never tried anything from the area before.
Never and easy task and it is limited to wines we are quite familiar with and gladly recommend. Tough tough task but here is my current list:
MITCH’s HUNTER VALLEY TOP 12 WINES
1) Tyrells Vat 47 Chardonnay 2009
2) Mt Pleasant Maurice OShea Shiraz 2007
3) Tyrells Vat 9 Shiraz 2007 0r 2009
4) De Iuliis Steven Shiraz 2009 or 2011
5) Mereea Park Terracotta Semillon 2006
6) First Creek Winemakers Reserve Chardonnay 2010 or 2011
7) Tallavera Grove Fenestella Shiraz 2010
8) Pepper Tree Alluvius Semillon 2011
9) Andrew Thomas Braemore Semillon 2007 or 2009
10) Andrew Thomas Kiss Shiraz 2009
11) Mt Pleasant Lovedale Semillon any from 2005/2006/2007 or 2009
12) aand
I know that some of these vintages are now sold out, but these wines themselves tend to uphold a high standard year in year out anyway (well, when they are made).
Some of the wines to fight things out for the last spot in the Hunter Case: Keith Tulloch Kester Shiraz; Petersons Back Block Shiraz; Pepper Tree Coquun Shiraz; anything else single vineyard from Tyrells, Andrew Thomas or Mount Pleasant; Scarborough White Label Chardonnay; Audrey Wilkinson reserve reds; all the other De Iuliis Shirazs (especially LDR); Mistletoe Hunter wines; David Hook Italians; Briar Ridge Stockhausen and Dairy Hill range; Brokenwood reds and a heap more.
I’m continually amazed at how some people readily write off Hunter valley wines for the acid punch in the whites and the medium bodied earthy spice of the reds, yet celebrate these same characteristics if the wine comes from Burgundy.
- WINEDUCATION - 