A wonderful example of Hunter Shiraz. Ripe berries and spice with a touch of leather on the nose and a beautifully integrated palate showing plenty of juicy fruit flavour in a subtle well balanced style.

David Hook's Shiraz is medium bodied, some vibrant characters of spicy red berries and soft rounding tannins with hints of vanilla oak on the palate. Ripe fruits richness with a lengthy finish. A great number to have handy when friends drop by.

The fruit for the 2016 Vat 9 Shiraz was sourced from Tyrrells super premium vineyards on the Ashmans property with an average vine age of 50 years. Predominately from the Weinkeller and Short Flat vineyards. Winemaking The blocks were all hand picked and sorted in the vineyard before arriving at the winery. All the fruit was then destemmed but not crushed, followed by fermentation in traditional open top concrete vats. After fermentation the wiens were matured in newer 2700L French oak casks for ten months.

Jim from Mount Pleasant accentuates a Shiraz with a cleanly structured mulberry and redcurrant with soft liquorice notes and a persistent high quality backbone.

With a history dating back to 1866 when Frederick Wilkinson first planted vineyards in the Pokolbin area in New South Wales' Hunter Valley. Now nurtured by the Agnew family, Audrey Wilkinson produce varietal of definition and class. Their Tempranillo is 100% hand-picked and sees 14 months in new and old French oak. The result is a fresh and vibrant Tempranillo true to the varietal's Spanish roots with dark berry fruit prominent. A consistent and appealing acid structure and tannin backbone give the wine a real touch of class.

McWilliam's Mount Pleasant Maurice O'Shea Shiraz continues lead the pack of great Hunter Valley Shiraz. A lovely return to old form, this Maurice has a striking purple hue to it in the glass. To the nose aromas of liquorice and spice with hints of cedar will beguile. Layers of complex flavours dance across the palate including savoury, spicy dark fruits like dark plums and cherries. A classic of classics.

Audrey Wilkinsons Merlot is a mellow, easy approaching style that is packed with ripe plum aromas and subtle oak. It is matured in French and American oak for 18 months, giving the wine soft tannins and a flavoursome finish.

What the Hunter Valley and David Hook does so very well - meduim bodied reds that have good savoury length and nice integrated tannins.