April 5, 2024 - Continuing to improve. This has plenty of life ahead of it but is lovely right now. Medium bodied and fruit-driven without being fruit forward (if that makes sense). No rush at all.
September 2, 2023 - Translucent crimson in the glass. Expressive nose with a core of perfectly ripe, well defined blackberry and blueberry. Whiffs of smoke and cloves, a touch of leather and a notable graphite character. Medium to full bodied on the palate with good freshness and fine tannins. Long, savoury touched blackberry finish. Delicious now on initial pour and opened well with an hour in the decanter. Will be interesting to see how it evolves.
WSET Notes:
Medium ruby.
Pronounced on the nose with blackberry, blueberry, black plum, smoke, cedar, earth, clove, leather and graphite. Developing.
Pronounced and dry on the palate. Medium plus body, medium alcohol, medium acidity, medium plus tannins, long finish.
Can drink now but has potential for ageing.
June 9, 2023 - Peaked on Day 3 - significantly
January 20, 2023 - Blackberry and char. Pretty good now but feel this may be pretty special in 5-10 years.
June 13, 2020 - From an historic Hunter vineyard, the oldest bits go into the Old Patch. These vines are about 70 years old. Drunk over two nights. This was quite tart at first but opened up more beautifully with every glass. Lovely fruit, spice and earthiness and a tremendous length. Has a great future ahead of it.
June 23, 2019 - Dark crimson colour with fine purple hue. Aroma Lo peppermint oak and black fruit. Plum, cherry, persistent tannin, medium body.
May 31, 2019 - Hunter Valley - 3 Cellar Doors (Hunter Valley): {screwcap, 13.4%, A$45} A renamed variant of the old Stevens shiraz. Blackberry and plum nose. Medium acid, medium powdery tannins. Pepper and spice flavours, with blackberry. Fine-grained texture, medium weight, medium/long finish. Even, very tidy palate. Open-top vat ferment, 15 months in newer 2500l French casks. I even liked this enough to buy some. Which will get a decade’s well-needed aging.
May 27, 2019 - Tyrrell's 2018 Red Release Tasting: Formerly under the "Stevens" label. Herbal and leafy with blackcurrant and pepper. The palate is tart and awkward with medium length. Doesn't flow well currently and I hope it'll come around but I'm not sure.