Hunter Valley
The 3,000-hectare Hunter Valley is Australia’s oldest viticultural area, with the Hunter Valley Vineyard Association (HVVA) dating back to 1847. Located inland from Newcastle in New South Wales, the region’s loamy vineyards are located at between 100 and 240 metres above sea level. Sémillon and Shiraz are favoured, the finest Sémillon having an almost limey, hay-like purity.
Learn more about Hunter Valley
The 3,000-hectare Hunter Valley is Australia’s oldest viticultural area. Located inland from Newcastle in New South Wales, bordering Mudgee to the west, the region was built not on gold but coal in the late 18th century; the Hunter Valley Vineyard Association (HVVA) was founded in 1847. Depression followed until the red wine boom of the 1960s and 1970s, even if it was Murray Tyrrell’s Chardonnay wines that proved the most successful.
The region’s loamy vineyards are located at between 100 and 240 metres above sea level. The warm to hot sub-humid climate makes rot an issue. Sémillon (often at circa 11 percent ABV) and Shiraz are favoured. The finest Sémillon should have an almost limey, hay-like purity.
Recommended producers: Brokenwood, Tyrrell’s and Molly Morgan
Prices:
Bottle
£18.50
Bottle 6 x 75cl21cs
This vineyard block was first planted in 1908 and the vine-stock continues to this day with new cuttings from these very old vines contributing to this wonderful Hunter Valley Chardonnay. Hand-picked grapes are basket pressed then, fermented in one year old oak barrel, followed by two months maturation in oak and lees ageing in stainless steel.
Richard Veal, Australian Wine Specialist
Bottle
£27.50
Bottle 6 x 75cl10cs
Stuart Rae, Private Account Manager
The 2014 is stunning, an very interesting, Riesling-esque nose, with similarities to great Chenin Blanc. Wonderful texture on the palate, rich, full-bodied , rounded and crisp. This is of course still very young, but gives great pleasure even now. Probably the best Hunter Valley Semillon I have ever tasted.
Chris Pollington, Private Account Manager
A pioneer of the Hunter Valley – Tyrrell’s wines, a by-word for the highest quality and age worthy Semillon. Today Tyrrell’s still sets the benchmark for this region, producing not just Semillons, but Chardonnays and Shirazes that are amongst the best if not the finest in the Hunter when their vineyards and the vintage align. Focus at Tyrrell’s has returned to producing middle range to premium wines and the increased emphasis on quality is evident in their recent releases.
Fun and approachable in the image of Bruce Tyrrell (patriarch and Managing Director), but not short of complexity. The nose has a pronounced autolytic character – brioche and other baked delights – from almost two years on the lees. Famously, Bruce’s father was inspired to make sparkling wine by a visit to Bollinger, so it’s no surprise that a proportion of the blend is barrel-fermented, contributing to a rich, round palate. There’s plenty of refreshing acidity too, thanks to a relatively cool 2011 in the Hunter Valley. Much, much more than just an alternative to you-know-what.