Lower Hunter Valley NSW 13.5% Screwcap $18- Tasted 31/9/08
Interesting to compare this to the previous tasting note on the 2007 Brokenwood Hunter Shiraz. Both very Hunter like, but vastly different expressions. It starts with the brighter colour which contains some blood red notes shooting through the purple.
Its got a sweet savoury nose of red fruits, vanilla, earth and old wallet leather along with a fair whack of spice. Medium bodied again, but more linear than the Brokenwood, more lively like and amply structured by acid. Juicy in fact. Opens with cherries, then the spice and vanilla cascade over the tongue leading to a finish of unobtrusive chalk like tannins. Certainly loaded with spice, which is all quite thrilling along with the acid, whilst the Hunter earth sits in the background. Cinnamon and mace come to mind, as well as a dash of pepper.
It kind of reminded me a cherry macaroon with savoury complexity. So I guess I got a suggestion of coconut. Not much in the way of oak influence that I could pick up. I had it with some fatty and mealy gluten free sausages and the whole experience was quite smashing.
Winery Website- http://www.tyrrells.com.au/