The last few days have been spent blowing my nose, coughing and generally moping about. One of the boring things about being sick is that one can’t really enjoy much of anything, so all the spare time that results tends to go to waste. I still feel under the weather, but I thought I’d open a familiar wine, one that I’ve tasted twice before, to see if it might lift my spirits. Just one small glass, you understand.

I’d forgotten the richness these drought-era Hunters possess, and this wine is a potent reminder of how vintage conditions allowed a concentrated, almost liquerous expression of Shiraz to come forth. On opening, I was a little overwhelmed and thought the wine too much, too dense and too monolithic. That has changed fairly quickly, though, and the region’s typicité is very much in evidence here. This is simply a bigger version of the style. With a bit of air and swirling, the wall of liqueur breaks down into a variety of flavour components, some speaking of the heat of the year, others showing delicious freshness and vivacity. Tertiary flavours are starting to creep in, but these are very much in the background, and the wine retains large volumes of primary fruit. It’s interesting that the latest Tyrrell’s mailer suggests this is now a “mature style, drinking well.” I agree with the latter, but am not so sure of the former.

The palate’s luxe meshes well with the relatively rich flavour profile that flows coherently from the nose. Structurally, this is quite relaxed, though possessing abundant tannins, fine and velvet-like. Acid, often a hallmark of Hunter Shiraz, seems muted at first, but is very present; the wine’s density masks it at first. Flavours are of red fruits and leather, earth and gentle spice. So typical, so correct. Also quite nuanced, though it can be hard, at times, to see past the wine’s power. A lovely, even line leads through to a finish that sings with soft fruit.

This is a gorgeous wine in all sorts of ways – its sensuality, its transparency, its truth. I raise a glass to those of us with some in our cellars.

Tyrrell’s
Price: $A32
Closure: Cork
Source: Retail

This wine and the Thomas Kiss from 2010 are, taken together, a case study in Hunter Shiraz’s current stylistic dilemma. A region with such history must surely think twice before shedding its legacy but, at the same time, even the best wines aren’t static, nor does the context in which they exist stop evolving.

The one thing that emerges most clearly from the glass is Hunter fruit in its turned earth, red berried glory. There’s a rustic suppleness to the character of this region’s reds that consistently engages me and which I find delicious. Good detail and even a hint of savouriness fill out the aroma profile, as does some subtle, seemingly old, vanilla and spice oak.

The palate is defined by its textural acid and medium body. Entry is sprightly and flavoursome, leading to a middle palate that is bright with red fruit and crunchy berry skins. There’s a slight simplicity to the fruit that may be a function of youth – certainly, this has the structure to build for some time in bottle and I suspect the best is yet to come. In terms of flavour profile, this is significantly more savoury than the Kiss, a fact that is quite evident in side-by-side tasting. There’s good flow of flavour through the after palate, although the finish pulls up a little quickly for my liking.

Whether it’s a better wine than the Thomas is perhaps the most interesting question to ask, and on that matter I’m not sure. On the one hand, its style is more to my taste. But we shouldn’t be so unsophisticated as to regard our personal preferences as the sole factor in deciding an object’s worth, and in many respects I believe the Kiss wine is better: better fruit, more complexity, more innovative treatment in the winery, greater daring. It’s the difference between attraction and admiration, I suppose, and it would be a sad world in which we were forced to choose just one or the other. For what it’s worth, and as an advocate of tradition in these matters, I find myself gravitating towards the Kiss after an hour or so of tasting. Go figure.

Tulloch Wines
Price: $A50
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

A showdown of sorts this evening between two range-topping Hunter Shirazes from 2010. First up is Andrew Thomas’s Kiss Shiraz.

I recently tasted the Motel Block from this vintage and there’s a definite family resemblance here. The same fullness of flavour, slightly buried regionality of fruit character, slickness of presentation. But everything here is dialled up to 11. This is, make no mistake, the flagship of the range, and there are lashings of oak and ramped up fruit density to remind one of the fact.

The nose is purple-fruited and basically a wall of aroma with, despite its dimensions, plenty of detail and nuance. Oak is certainly a feature, and comes across as a mélange of coffee, vanilla and bubblegum notes. The palate is verging on full bodied and, as with the nose, piles on intense flavour. Flow through the mouth is well-controlled and has a slickness to it that, while impressive, seems a bit polished, as if some of the more interesting rough edges may have been sanded off at some point. I especially admire how the flavour profile is so integrated even at this wine’s very young age. It makes the wine approachable now, even though I’d be setting aside a stash to come together more and build some complexity, as well as shed some of the boisterous intensity of its youth. A thread of slightly raw tannins through the finish isn’t especially distracting and, for me, adds some welcome savouriness to the flavour profile.

This is a beautifully made wine with a very clear stylistic statement to make. Perhaps because it comes so close to reaching its big goals, this raises more questions for me than did the Motel Block around what Hunter Shiraz ought to taste like. To be sure, this is leagues away from the sort of rustic, acid-driven wines that are still cherished by some producers and punters and which, one might argue, are somewhat of a ball and chain on the region’s profile. For drinkers, like me, who love the older style, this certainly throws down the gauntlet. Would I prefer to drink it over less well made wines that take a more traditional approach? Perhaps not. At the same time, I want smart winemakers to keep challenging our ideas around regional style. These things need to evolve, and wines like this are capable of keeping the Hunter alive.

Thomas Wines
Price: $A60
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

My first taste of this wine came after a flight of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines; it was a complete shock to my palate, so I set it aside for later tasting. I’m so glad I did, because it’s full of interest and delicacy, very little of which I was able to discern at the earlier tasting.

The aromas has firm base notes but what is really impressive is a high toned, floral aroma that wafts above juicy berries and aromatic vanilla oak. Those white, honeysuckle flowers lead the aroma through a range of turned earth notes that, more than any other element, mark this as a product of the Hunter. When I first smelled this wine, each strand felt somewhat separated, but some air and swirling has brought the aromas together quite well, such that there’s now a coherent flow from top to bottom. This a rich, energetic wine to smell.

I thought it might be a little overwhelming, but this is a surprisingly elegant wine, taking the fullness of flavour hinted at on the nose and translating that to an almost serene expression of Hunter Shiraz on the palate. Although its flavours are regional, this wine has little of the rusticity that some Hunters can show. Instead, it shows a poise and sophistication in the way it unfolds in the mouth, sweeping savoury red berries, spice and earth along in one big glossy package. Intensity is significant, as is tannic structure through the after palate.

This is just a really really good wine, and I can’t see too many lovers of this region’s Shiraz turning away from it. To be sure, a contemporary expression of the style, but no less interesting for it.

Thomas Wines
Price: $A50
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Gift

Having last tasted this wine in 2008, I felt it was high time to crack another bottle and see how it’s tracking. The short answer is: very well indeed.

The nose is a little muted, though some encouragement via swirling releases dense, liquerous fruit aromas that suggest dark plums and black berries. What’s especially gratifying, though, is a sense of definite bottle age that runs through every aroma, adding complexity and decaying elegance. Tobacco, leather, earth; this is just so regional.

The nose’s casual whisperings give way to a full-throttle expression of Hunter Shiraz on the palate, packed with density, impact and, happily, freshness. This is absolutely in the zone for my taste: it doesn’t want for primary fruit and structure, yet the tertiary notes are in full flower too. Flavours span a wide range: minerals, dark berries, earth leather, spice, tobacco. Structure remains firm and highly textural, slightly rough acid giving the line flow and sparkle, silty tannins contributing volume and texture.

As per my previous note, this is in some respects an atypical Hunter Shiraz, lacking the measured body and fleet flavours of some. But it’s a compelling view into the region in its own right and shows how great this style can be at the seasonal extremes. I’m thoroughly enjoying this.

Tyrrell’s
Price: $A30
Closure: Cork
Source: Retail

This is the second of Andrew Thomas’s 2009 Shirazes that I’ve tasted. The first impressed me a good deal with its uncompromisingly regional style. This beast is a little different.

A deep, earthy, spiky nose. The words “clean” and “Hunter” haven’t always gone together, but they find compatibility in this wine’s aroma profile. Regional dirt and rustic red berries expressed clearly in a nose that’s both typical and glossily modern. What I like about this expression of Hunter shiraz is that it does not forsake regionally for style; this is a true interpretation of modern Hunter, looking for new ways to say the same old things. It is, however, clearly different from more traditional styles, and may lose as many fans as it gains because of this.

The palate is quite structured, driving a firm line right through to the finish. Lots of bubblegum oak tannins, evenly spread and, for now, contributing an astringent, bouncily sweet influence to the flavour profile. Is the character of the oak here an ideal match to the fruit flavours?  I’m not sure — at times, it feels too sweet — but most of the time it just tastes good, so I’m happy to go with its stylistic flow. Riding atop is a dense whack of regional red fruit squished into the dustiest of dirt roads. There’s an ease to this wine which belies the amount of oak that’s present. The way the palate unfolds is powerful and confident.

Ultimately, the fruit is just so gorgeous here I could drown myself in it with or without the level of oak. I don’t feel there’s a lack of balance; rather, the winemaking choices frame the fruit differently from how it often is and, personal preferences aside, there’s no doubting the coherence of the style.

Thomas Wines
Price: $A60
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Gift

This is serious Hunter Shiraz. Compared to the De Iuliis Steven Vineyard Shiraz tasted recently, this single vineyard wine has an altogether more intense vibe, and one might suggest this is appropriate given its price point.

Neatly, this is both ultra-premium and totally drinkable, a balancing act that surprisingly few wines manage. The key here is that, despite a decent dose of very classy oak, this remains quite fruit driven, a strikingly intense burst of red fruit at the core of its personality. The nose first, though, which at first was too bound up to be truly pleasurable, but which relaxes with about an hour in the glass. When it does, the most fabulous, liqueurous plum and cherry fruit emerges, along with a spice profile that’s part oak and, surprisingly, a peppery part that recalls cooler climate Shiraz. There’s also a distinctly meaty dimension. It’s cohesive and generous and really luxurious, just a delight.

The palate goes through a similar transformation, initially fruitless but quickly evolving into a model of intense shapeliness. If one thing stands out above all else with this wine, it’s the precision with which it articulates its flavours, never losing composure, always maintaining form and poise. Clean black and red fruits, cedar, spice, vanilla, not very much earth. The acid takes a primary structural role, sweet tannins backing up through the after palate and finish. It’s not so structured as to be forbidding, but certainly seems set for medium term ageing (three to five year) at least.

Such a different wine from the equally excellent De Iuliis and indeed many other 2009 Hunter Shirazes, this strikes me as an essential expression of the style.

Meerea Park
Price: $A75
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

This has to be one of the best 2009 Hunter Valley Shirazes I’ve tasted so far.

It’s a charming vintage, incidentally, bringing to a close ten dramatic years in the Hunter. There have been several memorable vintages for reds – 2003 for its drought-driven concentration, 2005 and 2007 for their balanced power, and now 2009, which seems to exemplify the sort of medium bodied, supple elegance that I associate with the region’s Shiraz style in its most classical form.

The nose is complex and clean, hitting notes as varied as cranberries, grilled meat, sweet earth, and soft oak. While it’s absolutely typical of the region, what separates it from a merely correct wine is a sense of depth and detail, combined with a distinctiveness to the fruit character. It’s a nose to dive into and explore, providing new perspectives the longer one stays with it.

The palate really takes things up a notch, again absolutely striking and crystal clear. What’s quite sensational here is the articulation of flavours on the palate; each component lands cleanly on the tongue and transitions to the next without any jarring breaks or unseemly peaks and troughs. Dense red fruit with a crisp edge, a sort of green juiciness that’s hard to place but remarkably fresh, black pepper, subtle oak. Structure is firm, as one would expect of a young wine like this, sparkling acid adding freshness and abundant tannins providing plenty of textural interest.

Of all the fine qualities of this wine, what has stayed with me most since tasting it is the character of the fruit. It has the sort of subtle distinctiveness that some producers might be tempted to obscure in a blend but which, here, stands out for its beautiful imperfection. It’s clearly the product of a single site, for better or worse, and we should thank De Iuliis for letting it shine alone.

De Iuliis
Price: $A40
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample