Our panel: Remi Jacquemain, Vigneron, Place of Changing Winds; Abhi Ayare, Sommelier, Reine & La Rue; Matthew Jensen, Group Sommelier, Renascence Group; Sacha Imrie, Sommelier, Daughter In Law; Cara Devine, Bar Manager Bomba Bar; Leon Thomas, National Sales Manager, Rathbone Wine Group; Michelle Nielsen, City Wine Shop; Luke Campbell, Director & Head Buyer, Vinified Cellar Management.
Jacquemain, Imrie, Jensen, Thomas had this in their top six wines from the blind tasting. “Immediately, there is a sense of seriousness here,” said Jacquemain, naming this as the number one wine of the day. “This is layered, deeper, sweet fruited – showing an array of black and blue fruit and sweet spices. There is an actual density and fruit weight, but the balance is carried by salivating, sappy tannins and acidity. The textures and structures of both varieties are seamless here. Beautiful continuity of tannins. A lick of oak complements.” Imrie had this in her top two wines. “Elegant aromas of black plum, cherry, blackberry, but also a little pop of sweet red raspberry,” she wrote. “ An attractive herbal undertone, with a very subtle minty note coming through. Savoury palate flavours: smokey, cured cold meats, earthy and herbal. The palate is quite lush with a reasonably creamy texture, but it doesn’t come across as weighty as you might expect because there is a relatively striking acidity that cuts through the richness and cleanses the palate of the firmer tannin structure.” Jensen noted aromas of, “Ripe strawberry and raspberry, red florals, very reminiscent of red jelly!” While on the palate, he found, “Much more complexity with baking spices and vanilla and ripe red fruits. Soft tannins, good acid, this has got strawberry cheesecake vibes written all over it, the balance of this wine is superb,” he said. Thomas: “On the palate, it’s a cascade of raspberry and cranberry, underpinned by gentle whispers of anise and spice. The oak is seamlessly integrated, lending a subtle depth without overshadowing the fruit’s vivacity. The finish is impressively fresh and lingering, coaxing you to take another sip. It’s the kind of wine that invites savouring, each taste beckoning for the next, its complexity balanced by an irresistible drinkability.”
Jensen, Thomas, Campbell, Ayare had this in their top six wines from the blind tasting. “Definite wine of the day potential,” declared Campbell. Jensen noted, “A really delicate nose, black and red cherry, strawberry leaf and a slight hint of sweetness. Palate is an absolute powerhouse, rich in flavour but still drinks with the brightness and elegance of a pinot. Sour cherries abound, framed by vanilla, mulberry and baking spices. Fine but grippy tannins, acidity gives it length and drive. Cherry pie in a glass!” Thomas said, “There’s a playful mix of mint and juicy blue fruits, balanced by a delicate hint of white pepper. The spice spectrum is intriguing, with warming notes of cloves and nutmeg dancing in the background. It reminds me of quatre épices – one of my favourite European spice blends – adding depth and complexity to this expressive and deeply enjoyable wine. It sits proudly as a supreme example of this classic Australian red wine blend, and would be just as happy alongside a delicate venison loin with blackberry jus, or mum’s classic Aussie rissoles.” While Ayare’s note read, “Black olive leaf, juicy boysenberry, blackberry, a milky texture, fresh white flavours, elderflower, vanilla bean, white mocha, eucalypytus leaf, a lot of pulpiness. A lot of Christmas spice, reminiscent of a nice Christmas cake over the festivities. A great pairing for some turkey with rhubarb chutney.” Campbell concluded: “This sits in a grenache like mould, evoking memories of a juicy hamburger in the heat of summer with a glass of this in one hand and the beetroot juice of aforementioned burger running down the other. Utterly glugable right now! Lots to love.”
Campbell, Devine and Thomas had this in their top six wines from the blind tasting. “So pretty and really fragrant,” said Campbell, “Roses and cut violets alongside the meaty aromas of your favourite Italian deli. Similar to a barbera but the volume has been turned up to 11! Juicy red plums and rhubarb flavours abound, with cold cuts and hints of Sichuan pepper! The finish is long, it’s chewy and sinewy right to the finish, great juice. I find my self drinking, not thinking. Dish out a charcuterie platter with sopressa, prosciuitto di parma, and some classic old world flavours this ticks every box. A one way ticket to flavour town.” While Devine said, “I loved the savoury nose on this, all celery seed and caraway which carried through to an almost vermouth-like palate with heaps of spice and interest. It is perfectly weighted, still juicy but with enough tannin to balance out and give it some gravitas. I couldn’t stop thinking of food pairings – I think it would be a perfect match with a spicy curry or braised meat.” Thomas wrote: “The wine exudes a profoundly deep and complex fragrance, weaving together notes of anise, ripe purple fruits, earthy lavender and clay, and the nostalgic scent of fresh Crayolas. The palate is delightfully juicy, almost jubey, with a touch of stemminess that brings an added layer of intrigue. It’s a wine crafted for pure enjoyment – designed for the throat rather than the mind. Imagine a glass of this alongside a table full of tapas and laughter with good friends: sheer joy. The slight stemmy edge adds definition, which would pair perfectly with the briny bite of anchovies and crisp crackers, to create your own moment of simple indulgence.
Devine, Nielsen and Campbell had this in their top six wines from the blind tasting. Devine said, “The nose of fresh rhubarb is what really got me over the line here – it reminded me of sitting in my Granny’s kitchen with a stick of rhubarb to stab in a bag of sugar! There was a really nice balance of fruit and herbal notes throughout, with the rhubarb pairing perfectly with fennel notes. Lightweight in body but with plenty of complexity and interest, it’s the perfect picnic wine.” Nielsen wrote: “Super plush nose from the beginning. Fistful of rose petals. It stimulates the sensation. Something is blooming, unfolding. The palate is poised with ripe acidity and spices: aleppo peppers, paprika, even allspice. Go back in with your nose and we’ve evolved. Deep blue tones, smokey hints and herbaceous tugs. You pull the glass away, pleasantly surprised. You go back, allspice again, cherry compote. The weight on the tongue is purposeful, hits the sides and gives back. This wine is going on a journey and you’re in for a ride. Everything I want.” While Campbell noted, “Exotic, lifted aromas, really fragrant, this wine unfurls like a slow motion rose growing to a David Attenborough narrated documentary. The nose promises a lot. In the glass, mushroom, soil and undergrowth flavours are revealed. There’s and attractive sugar and spice interplay here, alongside these earthy characters which keeps you interested. Blue fruits evolve. Crispy skinned salmon and summer smashed peas food pairing comes to mind. A slightly heavier rendition of the blend with immediate pleasure.”
Jensen, Nielsen and Campbell had this in their top six wines from the blind tasting. “Potpourri, dates, exotic spices, the nose is incredibly perfumed,” wrote Jensen. “The palate shows stewed plums, blackberry crumble, cinnamon. The oak is giving just enough sweetness to offset the richness of the fruit. Dusty, fine tannins, good length, it really lingers. The fruit style is almost fortified in nature, just without the viscosity. This is something to have with dessert, especially dark chocolate.” “Starts super perfumed,” said Nielsen, “stems and Christmas spice. The palate is dense and full – fruitcake, boysenberry swirl, panettone and amaro herbs. Grapefruit-like acid lifts all these flavours and take them across the palate until it sits gently on the tip of your tongue and lingers there a while. A fruit strap texture with a tiny bit of grit, like you’ve just bitten into a dried muscatel grape. Fine grip and a finesse of tannin. Really elegant. I’m craving grilled lamb, mustard greens and garlic snails! A date with France-Soir is in order.” Campbell declared, “With its aromas of red and black fruits, potpourri notes and a palate that is light and kind of intoxicating, you’re not quite sure but you want more! It’s juicy-fruited with mixed lollies and has the unrivalled joy of a child. This is a ‘wave your hands in the air like you just do care’ wine. This has Sunday session written all over it, room temperature or even chilled. Just remember to drink responsibly.”
Both Nielsen and Devine had this in their top six wines from the blind tasting. “A nose reminiscent of Beaujolais,” said Nielsen, “Red currants and blueberries, lifted with hints of dusty rose. Aroma intensifies into smokey charcuterie and hints of fennel. The palate is engaging – juicy mariposa plums and sour cherries. Captivating really. There’s a warmth to the wine that simulates sunlight hitting you through the kitchen window in the morning. Wakes you up gently. The pomegranate-like acid snaps you into the present. The fruit is generous and the tannin, fine as silk. Everything working in harmony. All that’s missing is roast suckling pig at Super Inn. Ethereal.” While Devine added: “There was a touch of vanilla and smoke on the nose adding interest to the fruity notes. The palate is fresh and lively with lots of lifted herbal characters which keep you wanting more! A lovely medium palate weight means that it could work chilled, but also has enough complexity to stand up to more intense flavours – the kind of wine to keep on standby in your cupboard as it can rise to any wine related occasion!”
Thomas and Ayare both had this in their top six wines from the blind tasting. “Bursting with bright blue juicy fruit on the nose, evoking memories of the old milk bar around the corner from the house I grew up in, and me walking past its jar of colourful killer pythons,” said Thomas. “The palate is a joyful, jubey delight, full of slurpable appeal and a juicy finish that keeps you coming back for more. Subtle licks of freshly picked bay leaves and a hint of caramelized beetroot add an earthy complexity beneath the fruit. The slurp factor is dialled up to 11, making this wine a pure, delicious pleasure – something you can sip with a smile, relishing in its vibrant, carefree energy.” Ayare noted: “Great sensuality to the fruit, very well balanced. Rhubarb, white pepper, kampot peppers, sandalwood, mignonette, raspberry candy, tinge of green stalk, fig leaf, a gentleness that sways through. A lovely savoury structure to balance out the fruit with this fresh rain forest floor, fresh Provençale herbs. The fruit and structure are in harmony. A delicious wine indeed.”
Campbell, Imrie and Ayare all had this in their top six wines from the blind tasting. “Ok! Woah… Darker, denser wine here,” exclaimed Campbell. “Smoked rhubarb and coffee notes on the nose. This wine builds like a rolling wave and smashes on the beach with the chaos of a 1980’s Ken Done painting. So much going on here you don’t know where to look – flavours of native spice, violets, orange zest, choc malt freckles and ripe cherries prevail, and I love it. This is quintessentially Australian like Ken Done. A bottle of pure enjoyment, Think GMS blend. Serve with big plate of BBQ lamb ribs… your mates will line up.” Ayare’s note reqad: “Supple red fruit, more cherry like, kirsch, chrysanthemum, aromatically lifted on the palate too. It’s juicy, fleshy, pulpy, but still retains the freshness. A tinge of candied raspberry. Very angular fruit structure with a supple mid palate weight with round grippy tannins.” “This wine felt like it had potential to open up further if there had been a bit more time to spend with it,” said Imrie, “Dark ruby in the glass, with a reasonably intense, but tightly wound fruit aroma. The fruit spectrum dances across black, purple, blue. I get plum, blackcurrant, bramble, cherry mixed with sweet vanilla cream. There’s also this really nice grape pulp/pip character. Pretty rich on the palate, firm ripe tannins. Really stepping it up in weight and structure from what my prior exposure of pinot/shiraz blends has been – I feel like most of what I’ve tasted has been more loosie juicy chillable pinot leaning blends. So, it’s really great to see something a bit more serious, with greater longevity. Dark fruits, smokey, meaty, charcuterie, earthy goodness on the palate. Could see this being a great friend to our tandoor dishes in the restaurant.
Nielsen, Thomas and Jacquemain all had this in their top six wines from the blind tasting. “This wine is a captivating experience from the very first sip,” said Thomas. “Bright notes of cranberry and pomegranate burst onto the palate, their tangy freshness balanced by an irresistibly smooth, silky texture. There’s a seductive quality to this wine, its satin-like elegance gliding across the tongue with effortless grace. A hint of peppery spice, reminiscent of green chili, adds a lively kick, enhancing the complexity without overwhelming the fruit. Each element is perfectly balanced, making every sip a delicious and treat. Just yum.” While Nielsen described, “First smell brings you to an earthy landscape, savoury, wet forest floor. Pull your nose back a little and sour cherries, goji berries and pomegranates arise. Wet stone, coastal breeze and fossils come to mind with a third inhale, and all of this is ever present on the palate. Sweet raspberries and a lingering floral element, softly dense like compote. A dreamy texture, that focuses on the fruit’s flesh. A full spectrum to this experience, finishing red peppercorn warm. It’s extremely versatile, moreish and food could very much enhance the experience but it has the confidence to stand up on its own.” Jacquemain added: “Red fruits – cranberry, raspberry, early cherries – complexed with hints of smoky and peppers characters. Super appealing nose. On the palate a loverly layer of red fruit carries on with a fresh acidity, salivating tannins, fresh spices. Smashable but not simple.”
Ayare and Jensen both had this in their top six wines from the blind tasting. “Dense and with a lot of depth,” noted Ayare, “A lot of concentration and complexity throughout the fruit and weight of the wine. More on the darker red berry spectrum with wild strawberries, wild raspberries, a lot of gaminess, sweet charred barbecued meat, and a lot of Chinese spices. Hints of roasted capsicum, adding a fleshy sense to the structure. A wine to enjoy over a nice asado, with some juicy pork belly.” Jensen’s note read: “Strawberry and raspberry, rose petals and water along with blood plums. Lots of spice on the palate, a combination of white pepper, sweet cinnamon and cardamom. There is a pomegranate hit to it as well, with soft tannins but a juicy palate this lends itself really well to Middle Eastern cuisine.”
Both Ayare and Devine had this in their top six wines from the blind tasting. Devine commented, “This was a really interesting example of some of the heavier style wines we saw in this tasting. It is darkly brambly with a touch of butter menthol and caraway. While heavier in weight it still feels fresh and vibrant. A lush and generous wine which would be an interesting alternative to more traditional heavy reds.” Ayare’s note read: “More broody in style, definitely more syrah than pinot, with this big punch of darker black and blue fruit presenting itself. Very structured, quite dense in body, more on the sheer plum, black oud, dark woodsy spice, hazelnut, cedarwood, tonka bean, sweet tobacco. This may sounds an odd pairing: however, it’d be great to enjoy with a tonka bean cheesecake over dessert or some nice Tomme aux Fleur cheese.”
“Fun wine alert!” declared Imrie, including this in her top six wines from the blind tasting. She continued, “There is a lot here that is immediately likeable. It’s bright, glossy, purple tinged colour is eye-catching and vibrant. The aromas are fruit focused, think Robinson’s Summer Squash (from the UK) spectrum of plum, raspberry, strawberry, cherry and blackcurrant flavours. But it’s not a fruit bomb – there are grounding aromas of earthiness and pepper. Nice and juicy on the palate, with crisp tart cranberry-esq acidity. The palate continues that interesting mix of red berries from the pinot alongside purple and black fruit from the shiraz with a ‘stemmy’ refreshing crunch from the tannins. A great option to take along to a picnic or BBQ. Maybe put a light chill on it for extra refreshment value during the summer. So fun and enjoyable!” Ayare also included it in his top six: “Sappy red fruit, more on the spectrum of strawberry flesh, with quite a bit of whole bunch to give a bit of weight and depth,” he said. “Can be enjoyed as a chilled red given the freshness it offers – an enjoyable wine over a nice summer patio. Very easy, drinkable. Would pair great with fresh charcuterie or even a nice little parfait.”
Imrie and Nielsen both had this in their top six wines from the blind tasting. “I liked this curious little drop,” began Imrie, “Pale ruby in colour, with a little bit of a haze. Lovely fragrant nose, easy going, sweet red raspberry, red cherry, dried mint, savoury dried herbs. Reasonably subtle and restrained so far. The wine is sitting between light and medium bodied, the acidity is nice and refreshing. The curio for me comes in with the flavours on the palate: quite savoury, meaty, umami, bit of a smoky crushed pencil lead. These flavours were something I would normally associate with a wine of heavier body and firmer structure. A unique juxtaposition.” “I can’t tell where pinot starts and shiraz ends here,” said Nielsen, “and I really enjoy it! Tones of herbaceousness and rich peppermint hooks me in. It softens and orange peel comes through, with Campari hues and red vermouth sweetness. The palate is fresh, chewy and juicy. It reminds me of Mirto, a sardinian blue fruit that tastes like tart red berries and is herbaceous like rosemary and juniper! A few savoury notes of paprika and some minerality. The palate finishes dry and moreish. The wine feels balanced and versatile. Summer and winter wine. Bliss.”
Jacquemain and Devine both had this in their top six wines from the blind tasting. “One of the most balanced examples in this line up,” said Jacquemain. “Beautiful aromas of red fruit, some sweet spices and a hint of pepper and white flowers, all feeling ripe and in place, but also with the right type of freshness. The palate is balanced, with one of the most delicate acid–tannin equilibrium in the lineup today, making it both easy drinking and pleasurable to contemplate.” Devine added: “There was a lovely, lifted, green pepper nose on this leading into a bright cherry Starburst of a palate, with a lovely long finish with plenty of grip. A really nicely put together journey of a wine.”
This was in Jacquemain’s top two wines from the blind tasting. “Shiraz is probably showing a bit more, but in a nice ‘syrah’ profile. Savoury, maybe even a delicate meaty and smoky layer, with loads of sweet spices and ripe red fruit. Nothing heavy though – the florals are singing, and the tannins are silky. Lots of pleasure in this wine!”
Both Campbell and Nielsen included this in their top six wines from the blind tasting. “So pretty, a pinot lovers paradise here,” declared Campbell. “Definitely at the lighter end of the wines today. Fairy floss, red apple skin and wild blackberry aromas leap from the glass. It all comes together in the mouthfeel. Fruit, acid, weight, and tannin combine with the precision of a ballerina pirouetting down your palate whilst throwing rose petals and sour cherries everywhere. This wine is utterly joyous, deliciousness even – so much to love here. Whether or not you love ballet you know this is pure artistry. Mixed sweet spices, pomegranate and blueberry characters. I just want some fresh Japanese food – soba noodles and sesame chicken would be a delight.” While Nielsen’s note read: “Fragrance of sour cherries, sweet and sour spices. Light palate weight, initially soft and silky like velvet. fresh and ripe cherry skins. Aleppo pepper spice dances all over your tongue. Great integration of flavour. The memory of indulging on cherries at Christmas lunch. The wine’s texture is a little pithy and it has great composure, the palate lingers. Texture deepens, there is sapidity and the wine feels very much alive. With each sip I can sense a connection from the wine to the vine.”
Jacquemain palced this in their top six selections from the blind tasting. “The immediate nose is very floral with light smoke – a real gamay-like bouquet showing in the glass,” he commented. “This has taken me to lighter, mineral appellations of Beaujolais like Chiroubles or Regnie. On the palate it’s light but intense, zippy, almost citrusy acidity carrying through. Packed with freshness, it’s salivating, and electric.”
“The nose started off a little shy, but once it had a bit of time in glass it really opened up, with blood orange and strawberry really standing out,” said Jensen, placing this in his top six wines from the blind tasting. “Very pretty on the palate. Rose petals and pomegranate add to what was on the nose to give it some proper complexity. Not a ton of tannin, but the acidity is bang on point to make this very slurpable. Put this in the fridge for a few minutes and then take it to the park, you’ll not be disappointed!”
Imrie and Devine had this in their top six wines from the blind tasting. “Gorgeous, bright ruby colour,” described Imrie, “The aromas are lifted out of the glass. Concentrated, sweet dark red and blue/black fruit core. This reminds me of a Tunes lozenger from UK, with its blackcurrant, dark cherry and sweet menthol flavours. Eucalypt, menthol, fresh herb. Cream. I had initially been thinking that this could be quite nice as a chilled wine, but when you get to the palate it’s actually quite firm and medium bodied.” While Devine added, “A slight hint of jalapeno on the nose here primes for a juicy, fruity palate. This a fun and fresh wine with heaps of herbal elements to keep it lively right to the end. The perfect summer wine!”
Jacquemain and Imrie had this in their top six wines from the blind tasting. “Small red and black fruits in an earthy and almost autumnal matrix,” described Jacquemain, “This sweet layer of fruit is underlined by a lick of oak and a slight reduction that brought class and character. While generally light on its feet and velvety, there is nice flesh to support the structure and acidity, and the palates carries a length built on pleasure and sweetness.” Imrie declared, “I like this as a fun, easy going summery red. Immediately imagining it as a park wine: picnic rug, chilled. Seems to sit more towards the pinot. Aromatics on the nose just sing out summer. White florals, ripe strawberry, raspberry, cranberry and a ‘whole-bunchy’ green, herbal savouriness that balances the sweet red berry aromas. A little bit of weightiness, but still a nice slippy jubey texture on the palate – a darker fruit spectrum apparent, with blackberry, plumy flavours coming through. How good!”
“This wine offers an intriguing interplay of flavours and textures,” said Thomas, placing this in his top six wines from the blind tasting. “A tangled, bunchy aroma hints at generous whole bunch fermentation, seamlessly integrated into the wine’s profile. It carries a seductive, unfiltered appeal that draws you in. The palate is lush and slurpy, with vibrant notes of cola and tart cranberry, balancing freshness with depth. The ripe stems add structure, framing the fruit elegantly without overpowering it. What truly captivates, however, is its silky, velvety texture that you experience as it crosses your tongue, making for an irresistible and thought-provoking experience. It’s a wine that invites curiosity and rewards exploration with each sip.”
Jensen included this in his top six list from the blind tasting. “Damp forest floor, blackberries and cranberries with a gentle sweet spice to it,” he wrote. “Cranberry and mulberry on the palate, the colour of the wine is reminiscent of what will happen to your skin if you climbed the mulberry tree in the backyard! The pinot element of this wine really shines through – it is very delicate and the colour belies what was one of the most elegant wines of the day.”
When the spotlight started to tilt in pinot noir’s direction – as regions such as the Mornington Peninsula, Yarra Valley, Adelaide Hills and the like started to find their stride – shiraz, or at least many traditional shiraz drinkers, took umbrage. Pinot noir was a usurper. Shiraz was at its peak of powerful domination, with the styles ever enlarging into the often-brutish wines of the 80s, 90s and 00s, while pinot was light and fragrant. They were polar opposites. You liked one or the other, but not both.
But the varieties actually have a noble history of sharing the same bottle, being paired in a uniquely Australian blend – in the Hunter Valley – that was all but forgotten until a somewhat recent revival.
There was a time when Australian wines were appended with famous names to both lend them lustre and convey style, which has also created much confusion. Hunter Valley Chablis was naturally never actual Chablis, but nor was it chardonnay. Hunter Valley riesling bottlings were not riesling either. Both, in fact, were semillon, with the monikers an attempt to capture style.
By car, the Hunter Valley is two hours north of Sydney. Photo by Elfes Images.
“Hunter Valley (or Hunter River) Burgundy” is also a term that was often used, both as a general reference and on front labels for shiraz-based wines, before the French thankfully put their foot down and called the lawyers in – allowing both the old and the new world to shine for what they did, and not holding up one as a foggy mirror of the other.
Although it is a somewhat warm zone for viticulture, the Hunter typically made reds of middling weight, often with a savoury, earthy fragrance. Those wines were deemed to fit into what were the ‘Burgundy Classes’ at wine shows of the times, with the ‘Claret Classes’ reserved for more structured wines that more readily recalled the wines of Bordeaux.
The three major players in the Hunter Valley in the mid-20th century – and still the icons today – were Lindeman’s, Tyrrell’s and Mount Pleasant. It was Lindeman’s who most famously wore the Burgundy tag, with ‘Hunter River Burgundy’ appended with a bin number on their labels – ‘Hunter River Chablis’, ‘Hunter River White Burgundy’ and ‘Hunter River Riesling’ also featured.
One of Australia’s greatest winemakers and pioneering viticultural thinkers was Maurice O’Shea of Mount Pleasant. He died too early, in 1956 aged 58, but his legacy is clearly still vibrantly apparent. At a time when fortifieds ruled the market, O’Shea championed table wines from the 30s through the 50s. And his efforts helped to shape the wine industry that we know today.
Maurice O’Shea, described in the biography by Campbell Mattinson as, “The greatest winemaker Australia has known”.
Mount Pleasant claims to have Australia’s oldest pinot noir vines – down to two rows now – and is the source of one of this country’s most revered clones: MV6 or Mothervine 6 (purportedly sourced from the Burgundy Grand Cru Clos de Vougeot). Today, MV6 is especially prevalent in Victorian vineyards. Many may be surprised that the Hunter Valley is the cradle of Australian pinot noir, but it is.
O’Shea often put pinot to work in his shiraz bottlings, though generally anonymously. He also frequently used white grapes to achieve the weight and aromatic profile that he desired, fermenting red grapes on white skins and sometimes vice versa. The idea of blending grapes was not new, as distinguishing between varieties would not have been seen as that important previously. Rather, it would have been all one crop to make one wine or so.
O’Shea took things a step further, using the raw materials to create light and shade, focusing on the differences of varieties and the vagaries of sites. And this was with the most primitive of equipment, and with no electricity. He was a visionary, and a tenacious one at that.
Maurice O’Shea plunging red ferments at Mount Pleasant. Photo courtesy of McWilliams Wines.
In the 40s, pinot took an emphatic place in O’Shea’s famous ‘Light Dry Red’. That most iconic blend of shiraz and pinot was the Mount Pleasant ‘Mount Henry’ bottling – there were varietally labelled blends, too, though the location-specific synonym of the day for shiraz, Hermitage, was used. (There is no actual Mount Henry, rather it is an homage to O’Shea’s friend and ardent supporter of his wines, restaurateur Henri Renault, chef and owner of l’Hermitage in Sydney.)
While we think of pinot noir being the lighter and less structured of the two grapes, it is an earlier ripener, so it has the opportunity to reach both flavour and tannin maturity more readily than shiraz. Additionally, the MV6 Clone is one of the more robustly fruited, with a strong tannic line, which is particularly emphasised in the Hunter. Needless to say, a Hunter pinot looks nothing like a Mornington pinot. So, it can contribute structure and depth of flavour rather than diluting either attribute, and it is said to have actually bolstered the shiraz in cooler years.
Early in his career, long-serving winemaker Karl Stockhausen was responsible for making two of Lindeman’s most famous red wines. They were the legendary ‘Hunter River Burgundy’ pair of ‘Bin 3100’ and ‘Bin 3110’. Both were from the 1965 vintage and harvested significantly later than normal.
It was known that pinot noir was blended into one of the wines, though not which or how much. Over the years, this presence of pinot took on mythical proportions. In reality, a small pinot plot was blended into the ‘Bin 3100’, and only accounted for 0.5 per cent of the wine – hardly a decisive inclusion. Nonetheless, a legacy started by the great O’Shea was given more life, and the style an even more legendary aura.
The Hunter Valley Burgundy style, which was very much the product of the mid-20th century was always fundamentally shiraz. Some would have included a parcel of pinot here and there, sometimes out of conscious blending decisions, and sometimes because there was some pinot that needed to go somewhere, but the true pinot shiraz blends were the province of O’Shea.
It’s worth noting that, anecdotally, the Hunter had more pinot noir in the ground in the 30s and 40s (relative to shiraz), as well as meaningful amounts of pinot meunier. The more reliable, more regionally apt variety soon held sway, and now pinot represents about 3 per cent of the size of the shiraz plantings.
When O’Shea died, the ‘Mount Henry’ label faded into history, along with the blend. Though it was quietly resurrected after much urging from long-time Chief Winemaker Phil Ryan. The first modern release was the 1998, and a 2002 was also made. But it was the next release that made the impact, the 2011, which was also the same year that Mount Pleasant released their first varietal pinot noir since 1996. Both 2011s were made by Gwyn Olsen, who now works with both Pepper Tree Wines and Briar Ridge – and both now make versions of O’Shea’s blend.
A few year later, the blend was then vocally championed by Chief Winemaker Jim Chatto. It was also Chatto who resurrected many of O’Shea’s individual parcel bottlings, too, reviving what was then a very uncommon practice of focusing on site, rather than regional style.
That 2011 was the start of the Hunter’s renaissance of the blend, with Meerea Park following in 2013, and makers like Silkman, Usher Tinkler and Comyns & Co., amongst others, following suit. Hunter winemakers also imported the style down south, notably to the Yarra Valley, with Simon Steele of Medhurst and Sarah Crowe of Yarra Yering leading the way. Medhurst’s ‘YRB’ wine even carries a cheeky nod to the Hunter‘, with the acronym standing for ‘Yarra River Burgundy’.
Crowe made the first ‘Light Dry Red’ at Yarra Yering from the 2015 vintage, which was both a tribute to a long-retired style made by the late Dr Bailey Carrodus – Yarra Yering’s founder – and those early wines of O’Shea. It was somewhat of a breakout wine for the style, making a big impression critically and inspiring other makers to experiment with the blend.
Crowe notes that the makers in the Hunter generally have the intent of producing medium-bodied wines that will age well, usually with shiraz the dominant component. They will often use a little more new oak and see a seriousness to the blend that is perhaps not so widely taken up in places like the Yarra, where a close to equal blend is more likely, and early approachability and crunchy vibrancy are the order of the day – though not exclusively. And the latter is her approach, though with a decent nod to the former, too.
“Firstly, I look for balance, but for me I don’t want it to be simple and fruity and confected. I want it to be soft and juicy, and you think, ‘that’s really slurpy and I want another glass,’ but then you notice the structure to it. And you think, ‘hang on a minute, it’s more spicy, more complex, there’s more longevity – this wine has more legs than I thought it did.’ It’s about building all those things in.”
That principle may just indeed be a distant reflection of how O’Shea crafted his wines, with an eye firmly on a more complete whole. Perhaps in a lighter frame, but with an eye to detail, drinkability and potentially age-worthiness. And it’s worth noting that those wines of O’Shea stood the test of time, too, drinking spectacularly – by all reports – 60 years later. The wines that many winemakers are making today, outside of pure curiosity, are very much tributes to those early wines of O’Shea. And in the absence of readily accessible liquid examples, it’s an old idea seen through a brand-new lens.
Pinot noir and shiraz, or syrah if you prefer, are anchored in the French regions of Burgundy and the Northern Rhône respectively. Pinot noir is naturally grown very successfully further north in Champagne and syrah is grown in the Southern Rhône, and elsewhere, but those are the pinnacle old world regions for table wines. And they’re not that far apart geographically. The grapes, however, were always seen to be exclusively individual cultivars – products of different genetic lineages. It seems, though, that they have a closer relationship than that, with the preeminent grape geneticist Dr José Vouillamoz’s research pointing to pinot being a likely “great-grandparent” of syrah.
Genetic links notwithstanding, an experienced taster is unlikely to confuse the two, even when they meet close to the middle, with shiraz at its most fragrant and pinot at its most brooding. In broad brushstrokes, pinot will tend to the fragrant and perfumed with red fruits predominating, while shiraz will tend to darker fruits with more robust spice notes and more tannic grip. But that middle ground is where blending starts to make some sense. Blending like with like increases volume but not necessarily interest or detail. Blending with a mixture of the complementary and the contrasting starts to build layers, to build character. The way the structure is arranged and the fruit complexity etc., keeping in mind that both varieties must at least be moderately successful in their region.
Luke Campbell opened the chat. “This style belongs in our lexicon. These are great food wines and there’s a lot of texture, there’s a lot of weight, there’s a lot of consumer value here – more so than in the price range of shiraz at this point or the price range of straight pinot. These two varieties – unusually – they are great bedfellows.”
“I wish Timmy Perrin was here,” said Leon Thomas, referencing Port Phillip Estate’s winemaker, “Because his favourite word is ‘slurpy durpy’, and there was quite a few slurpy durpy wines here.”
“Loosie juicy,” chimed Sacha Imrie.
“They’re bar wines,” continued Thomas. “Some were looked like grenache but most had this floral unfurling like a glass of gamay. Overall I found myself asking, ‘What fruit is that? Would I chill this or drink it with food?’ So much flavour and versatility across the wines, I loved it. They’re wines for the throat. Wines for the throat and not for the for the mind, sort of thing. In terms of the consumer proposition, that’s a really powerful place to be because that’s where people want freshness and vibrancy.”
“This style belongs in our lexicon.”
Continuing on the topic of the consumer, Jensen offered some of his experience with these wines at their restaurant. “I’ve got a couple on the list. One that is at pouring ‘by the glass’ price, and something that’s a bit more premium: in that $140 to $150 dollar bracket,” he said. “And trying to sell that $140 to $150 bracket bottle is next to impossible, but selling it by the glass is probably the easiest thing we have to sell. It sells better than anything else we have by the glass when it goes on in the cooler months, which is quite funny. I look at this as a ‘blend’ rather than a ‘premium wine’. As you think about single varietals – you look at say pinot by itself, or shiraz as a single varietal – you can sell them for more and you can have more success moving them at a higher price point. But people are much more open to trying them when it’s at a more approachable price point by the glass. They don’t worry about it too much, because it is seen as ‘I can have four of those at lunch, and not have to think about it too much.’”
“A lunch time wine,” said Campbell.
“Exactly, yeah,” added Jensen.
“They’re bar wines. Some were looked like grenache but most had this floral unfurling like a glass of gamay. Overall I found myself asking, ‘What fruit is that? Would I chill this or drink it with food?’ So much flavour and versatility across the wines, I loved it.”
Devine offered her take on the general punters’ appetite for experimentation. “Obviously there’s already a lot of consumer recognition around both pinot and shiraz, so it’s going to be much easier to get them on board with that kind of blend rather than a lot of wilder blends with varieties or terms they don’t recognise.”
She continued, “What was really cool here was there was like at least kind of three distinct sort of body weight, and things that you would actually use them for. You have the wines that were total picnic wines – they’re just like summer, smash a bottle with your friends without even noticing. You had some that really good medium weight with enough spice – there was a lot of food pairing that were coming to mind for me. And then you also have some heavier ones that actually had a bit of grunt and texture and weight that you would want for a more premium wine as well. So, it was a massive spectrum!”
Imrie also added further comment to the diversity of the wines, with some blends in the blind lineup being evidently pinot dominant while others were more shiraz dominant.
“I found myself thinking about regions and styles,” offered Campbell.
Jacquemain referenced winemakers not being constrained by growing both varieties in the same place. “Some of them would have been grown in the same region. Some of the varieties would have been grown in different regions. So like, we’re blending pinot from Macedon Ranges with shiraz from Heathcote – so there you go!”
“I found the best wines in the bracket to be seamless: I couldn’t tell what was pinot and what was shiraz. They were seamless.”
The panel then asked Jacquemain about his experience with the suitability of pinot and shiraz as a blend. “It’s really something in their weight and densities, and in tannins and acid profile going together. It’s easy to look at flavours – which in blending is less of a topic. The acidities of two widely different pH varieties, varieties with very different tannins, played nicely together. It’s a really suitable blend in most situations. When it’s harmonious and everything works together so beautifully, it feels as if, in some of these wines, they had been growing in the same block – like everything’s playing together with harmony. It wasn’t the case for every wine, but to me, yes, there was a true harmony with some – almost as if they had been grown in the same place, and with the same mind, and practices, and everything it really works together.”
Devine referenced her experiences in the spirits trade and they’re seeing a lot of similar preconceptions of blends in whiskey. “Blends were such a dirty word for so long. Everyone’s was like, ‘Only single malt! Blends are just for mixing with Coke or whatever!’ But actually, when you approach it with the same level of dedication and care to a blend, it actually gives you this really cool spectrum of all these flavours to work with and so there can be quite a lot of artistry that can come in – and we saw that here. They felt like very deliberate products – it wasn’t just, ‘this pinot and shiraz didn’t turn out great individually, let’s whack them together and see what happens.’ It felt like it a lot of them were very deliberate and really nicely put together wines.”
“What fascinated to me,” began Abhi Ayare, “You don’t see this many pinot shiraz blends together in one room. So, there was no prejudice. I felt it was a very fair assessment for what those wines were. For example, when you’re thinking of a nebbiolo, you know it’s going to be high acid and high tannin, but when you’re thinking of a pinot shiraz blend, you don’t know where you are. Because the composition can change so much, whether there’s more pinot or shiraz.”
“In my selections,” commented Campbell, “I found the best wines in the bracket to be seamless: I couldn’t tell what was pinot and what was shiraz. They were seamless. On my list that was testament to the best wines. There was no prejudice. But the best wines were seamless! There were some wild examples; some I loved and could quite happily have recommended too; I could quite easily see the see the part of shiraz and the part of pinot, but they were that they were delicious wines; ‘slurpy durpy’; take ‘em home; utterly gluggable on a Sunday afternoon; picnic wines – but they probably weren’t in my best of the best wines. The top wines were seamless, which I think is really a credit to the style and intent of the winemaker.”
Continuing on this thought of how the flavours of pinot and shiraz combine, Imrie said, “I found it quite fascinating that you’d get something that’s quite unique in its palate weight and it’s the way it moves across your palate: you get quite savoury, smoky and meaty,” she said. “It’s like sitting on pinot but tasting shiraz. It’s really quite unusual. There’s a really interesting crossflow of flavours… it was quite mercurial.”
Imrie then turned to the nature of these wines and their consumer appeal. “What I’m seeing is that people are drinking like lighter alcohol wines, lighter bodied wines, lighter, earlier drinking wines.”
Picking up the theme of the customer, Nieslen commented, “I could see from a selling point how I could just easily put this in front of someone who likes this type of style and is a bit open to try something that they’ve never tried before – that makes it very easy in my mind. There’d be no problem in having this on the wall and by the glass, because it’s sellable, because you can see where it would fit.”
The panel then turned to their level of excitement around these wines, the wine category, and how the style deserves to be championed more…
“I think it’s definitely exciting,” declared Campbell. “Sacha’s point about consumers wanting lower alcohol, freshness and vibrancy. Already, these styles are very accessible. There’s obviously big produces and there’s small producers there, highlighting some great great fruit. We should be championing these. Accessibility, lower alcohol, vibrancy and freshness and flavour, right now!”
“Exactly what you said,” concurred Jacquemain, “Low alcohol wines, lower extraction, mostly more drinkable wine. Overall, it really felt like this blend, in the context of fresh, digestible reds, was offering much better quality and interest than the lightest options of both varieties alone.”
Imrie lamented the status quo of: “I feel like Australia is focused on mono-verities. Like blends are taboo.”
Then Devine responded, “But I think if any blend is going to bring the Australian consumer around to blends, it’s going to be pinot and shiraz. It’s like the two most popular reds of Australian wine.”
Sacha Imrie is the sommelier at Daughter in Law, Melbourne. She began her career at 14, working in her uncle’s restaurant, Hewat’s, in Edinburgh, while studying for a BA Hons in Sculpture at Edinburgh College of Art. During this time, she also completed the WSET Level 3 wine qualification and worked at a local French wine bar and bistro. Intrigued by Melbourne’s hospitality scene, Imrie moved there and never looked back. In Melbourne, she held roles with Bomba and worked as a sommelier and buyer for the McConnell Group, covering Gertrude St venues The Builders Arms, Marion, and Cutler and Co from 2015 to 2019. In 2019, Imrie, her husband, and their business partners opened Daughter in Law Melbourne, followed by Daughter in Law Adelaide in 2021, Pinky Ji Sydney in 2023, Bibi Ji Melbourne in 2024, and their newest venture, The Daughter’s Arms at Ovolo Hotel, opening this week. Imrie also has her own wine range, Hey Tomorrow, featuring winemaker collaborations in cask packaging. The project won the Victorian Premier’s Communication Design Award in 2022.
Abhi Ayare is the Assistant Head Sommelier at the renowned Reine and La Rue in Melbourne. Originally from Mumbai, Abhi moved to Australia seven years ago, quickly making a name for himself at some of Sydney’s top venues. Most recently, he served as the Precinct Head Sommelier for Charles Grand Brasserie, The Charles Bar, and Tiva Lounge, and held key roles at Mimi’s, Woodcut, and the Park Hyatt Sydney. At just 21, Abhi became the youngest-ever Dux for the Certified Sommelier program. A year later, at 22, he made history as the world’s youngest Advanced Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers. He is now on the path to pursuing the prestigious Master Sommelier Diploma.
Matthew Jensen is the Group Sommelier at Renascence Group, overseeing the wine programs for Farmer’s Daughters, Victoria by Farmer’s Daughters, and Morena. After completing a degree in journalism and political science, Jensen discovered his passion for wine while working in a wine store, where he enjoyed combining his love for wine with engaging conversations. He holds certifications from the Court of Master Sommeliers and WSET Level 3. Jensen’s career includes notable roles such as Assistant Head Sommelier at Vue de Monde and Head Sommelier at Atlas Dining.
Luke Campbell, born and raised in the Hunter Valley, Luke’s formal qualifications come from WSET, he is certified by the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale (ASI) and has completed the Advanced Wine Assessment Course (AWAC) at The University of Adelaide. Campbell launched Vinified Wine Services, a cellar management business tailored to the private collector.
Cara Devine has been working in the hospitality industry since she was 16, seriously getting into cocktail bartending about 10 years ago. She has since worked in award winning venues in Canada and Scotland before settling in Melbourne. She currently runs the rooftop cocktail bar at Bomba Tapas Bar. She is also the co-creator and presenter of Behind the Bar with Cara Devine, a YouTube channel devoted to providing education on cocktails, good booze and drinking culture.
Rémi Jacquemain is a vigneron who has managed Place of Changing Winds since 2017. He has both a Viticulture Masters degree and Diploma of Oenology (Winemaking-Oenology Masters Degree) from Bordeaux University where he trained under some the world’s most important vine and wine scientists. He also had some seven years of work experience in Bordeaux, Beaujolais, Alsace and various estates in Australia before joining Place of Changing Winds.
Leon Thomas is the National Sales Manager at Rathbone Wine Group, representing iconic Australian wineries such as Xanadu in Margaret River, Mount Langi Ghiran in the Grampians, and Yering Station in the Yarra Valley. A graduate of the AWRI’s Advanced Wine Assessment course in 2021, Thomas plays an active role in Rathbone’s allocation tastings, collaborating closely with winemakers to refine the product lineup each year. For the past four years, he has also served as a judge for Vintage Cellars’ ‘Best Of’ Wine Awards. Before joining Rathbone, he was the National Sales Manager at Oakridge Wines.
The ‘Bordeaux blend’ – melding multiple grape varieties from the cabernet family, in a style first defined by France’s Bordeaux region – is masterfully represented by Cullen’s Diana Madeline, an elite wine which honours the memory and toil of the vineyard’s founding trailblazers who fully embraced sympathetic agricultural and broader environmental care.
Over the last decade or so, the winemaking practice of keeping white grape skins in contact with fermenting juice – just like making red wine – has changed the wine landscape like few other developments. From wines with deeply amber hues to components adding complexity to blends, makers in the 2021 Young Gun of Wine Top 50 are using skin contact on white grapes to great effect, including Edenflo, Sigurd, Alpha Box & Dice, Moonlit Forest, Express Winemakers, Year Wines, Minimum and Alkimi. Tasting notes appear at the end of the article.
In this third instalment of a seven-part series produced in collaboration with Vintage Cellars – 70 years of supporting wine in Australia – we look at Australian wine in the 1960s, at the influence of technology, the birth of iconic styles and the personalities that shaped that most pivotal decade.
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2021 Precipice Pinot Syrah, 
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