Hunter Valley 12.9% Screwcap $18
Tyrrell’s Brokenback Shiraz has been one of my staple go to wines when I’m after affordability, regionality and quality for quite a while now. The last three releases, dating back to the 2005, have offered not only great value but real cellaring potential as well. You don’t often get that sort of package for under twenty bucks…let alone the sub $14 price that you’ll often find it for at the big chains.
The 2009 isn’t quite up to the standard of its predecessors but it’s still a very handy wine. Sweet red berries, racy acidity, earthen Hunter characters, a shake of pepper and a little tar. Light and agile; probably in need of a couple more years bottle age to show its best. It finishes a little short and firm with smudgy tannin but once again, given the price, that’s more than forgivable.
Winery website- http://www.tyrrells.com.au/
Out of interest, jow long did you decant this for Jeremy?
I've had two bottle already. Since 2005, I've been slightly disappointed with the latest release, but have always drank a few and my opinion of the vintages goes up over time. I initially thought the '07 was not as good as the '06 for example. And I now think the '09's not as good as the '07 (actually quite different wines in some respects). So I'm not sure about anything now! My final verdict will come in about 6 months I suggest. This kind of acid and driven Hunter is just too young on release.
I gave my 2nd bottle a pretty long decant and it just got better and better.
I've actually cellared of the '07 would you believe!!??
Before I forget, I always drink this now out of a Riedel Burgundy glass. Trust me, it works.
MichaelC
Michael- I double decanted this and tasted it over two days with it showing much better on day 2 – the acidity was beginning to settle nicely.
I agree that this sort of acid driven wine can be released too early but given the price here, it doesn't bother me too much. Just buy a few bottles and drink them over a 5 year period I reckon…although they could probably go longer.
A Riedel Burgundy glass? I've not tried that but will give it a whirl next time I crack a bottle. I suppose it is "Hunter Pinot" in a way
cheers
j
Yes, that's the way I look at it – a Hunter Pinot!! It was a bit of an accident. I bought a bottle to a friends house, and we had just given them some larger-format Burgundy-like glasses (not Riedel, but of blown glass since I wasn't too sure how delicate they'd be!) among other things as a wedding gift. I think they were described as being for Nebbiolo/Barolo or something. And the wine seemed to work better in those sorts of glasses than in a standard Riedel Shiraz glass that I had previously used at home. So I've been using the Burgundy glasses ever since for this wine!!
By the way, I used Riedel Sommelier Hermitage glasses for the De Iuliis Steven Shiraz to good effect. I suspected that wine of that sort would get lost in the large Riedel Shiraz glasses we now normally use (can't recall what series they are, is it "Grape" or something? The Chardonnay glasses are excellent in that series too, though they tend to 'spit' wine out at you if you happen to move the glass in a certain way – an odd phenomenon).
Once a sceptic on this sort of thing, but now thoroughly convinced on glass and wine matching -though it might partially be in my head. I use Riedel Chablis for Hunter Semillon. Which I guess has some historical backing at least!
MichaelC