There's never much Hunter Valley Shiraz around but it always represents an engaging experience in elegance and style, especially if it's made from grapes picked off the unnervingly named Graveyard Vineyard. The oldest vines on the Graveyard property are amongst the first growth of Australian Shiraz, younger blocks are called upon for the construct of a regional Hunter Valley edition, exhibiting superior structure and penetrating fruit, refined elocution and exquisite grace.
The fifteen hectare Graveyard Vineyard is planted to a gentle, east facing slope, generally cooler in clime, principally of red and white clays, iron stones and loam. Shiraz is sourced off blocks of vine cloned off original rootstock dating back to the 1960s. Fruit is treated to a combination of vinomatic and part open top, two to four tonne fermenters. Batches are treated to pumpovers once or twice daily over the course of a week, pressed off skins and sent for a course of malolactic. Components are filled to a selection of seasoned and new, French oak barrels and puncheons for a term of maturation.
Vibrant deep red colour. Lifted fresh red fruit and spice notes, anise and the fragrant redolence of countryside. Lovely savoury, red cherry flavours, ripe red and black currants over a background of oak, supported by a length of fine grained tannins. A fine accompaniement to all good gourmandise, red wine braises and recipes calling on rhubarb.
