2023 Thomas Wines The Cote Shiraz
2023 Thomas Wines The Cote Shiraz

2023 Thomas Wines The Cote Shiraz

96 pts
Thomas Wines |Hunter Valley |Shiraz
Exotic, full-throttle single vineyard Shiraz from this Hunter master.
Price:
$40.00
Stock:
Sold out
Rendering loop-subscriptions

Description

The Cote d’Or vineyard in central Pokolbin has roots stretching back to 1866, when the pioneering Wilkinson family first planted vines on its steep, fossil-studded ridge. Those original vines are long gone, but the 1971 replanting has proven just as storied, producing Shiraz of poise, fragrance, and effortless mid-weight Hunter charm.

The 2023 vintage looked shaky early on after a nasty hailstorm, but patience and persistence paid off. By March, pockets of pristine fruit revealed themselves, and selective handpicking gave Andrew Thomas what he now calls the best Cote since 2019.

In the glass, it’s everything you want from Hunter Shiraz: medium-bodied yet layered, with dark cherry, mulberry, and blackberry lifted by spice, dried herbs and a faint pink peppercorn note. French oak plays only a supporting role, letting the vineyard’s floral perfume and silky tannin structure lead the way.

It’s approachable now - supple, elegant, and a joy to drink - but has the balance to develop beautifully over the next decade. A wine that speaks both to the resilience of the Hunter and Thomas’s knack for coaxing the best from its great sites.

"A brightly fruited wine, modern in style, with fabulous aromatics."
- Toni Paterson MW (Halliday Wine Companion)

Campbell Mattinson

Campbell Mattinson

The Wine Front 94 Points

Cracking shiraz. So distinctive. Spicy, earthen, meaty and floral, but juicy with cherry-plum fruit flavour too. Silken to the touch but energetic. Laced with gun-smoke and cedar-smoke. Cardamon notes as well. Lots going on but in a seamless, svelte context. Finesse of the tannin and general length are also top notch. This is very, very good.

Toni Paterson MW

Toni Paterson MW

Halliday Wine Companion 96 Points

Sourced from the dry-grown, north-facing Cote d'Or vineyard, planted in '71. A brightly fruited wine, modern in style, with fabulous aromatics. Engaging from the start. Cherry and mulberry fruits shine with excellent clarity, complemented by faint ethereal spice. The nuanced floral overlay is particularly charming. Perfectly medium weight with an engaging lemony tone that elevates the palate and gives the wine a cleansing, savoury close.

In the Vineyard
A single vineyard wine sourced from the famous, and slightly controversially named, Cote d’Or vineyard in central Pokolbin. The vineyard lies at almost 200 metres above sea level, on a steep northerly aspect of the ridge directly south of the Audrey Wilkinson Oakdale property. Cote d'Or was one of the first vineyards established by the Wilkinson family in 1866 by Alfred Wilkinson and his son Frederick (Audrey’s father). It was the fraternal home until the death of Alfred just before WW1. The original vineyard has long been pulled out, but seven acres were replanted on this ridge in 1971. The vineyard is dry-grown on relatively deep brown loamy soil, and scattered with Permian fossils.

In the Winery
The excellent 2023 vintage has certainly demonstrated the resilience of this site to produce great wine. The vineyard was hit with a nasty hailstorm in early January, and we had virtually written it off.
Towards the very end of the vintage, we went back for a final look and realised there was still some great-looking fruit that had ripened quite nicely. We decided to selectively hand-pick on March 3rd.
Destemmed (but not crushed) and then cold-soaked for 24 hours. After a further six days of fermentation on skins, the wine was pressed off into a combination of second, third, and fourth use barrels, which have provided a very subtle oak structural complexity to the wine.
Bottled - 25th June 2024
Production - 144 dozen

Price Bracket $31 to $40
Type Red
Body Full Bodied
Variety Shiraz
Country Australia
Region Hunter Valley
Australian State NSW
Feature High Score
Reviewed By Halliday Wine Companion
The Wine Front
Critic Score 96
94
Alcohol 13.5%
Size 750ml
Vintage 2023
Closure Screw Cap

Thomas Wines

Andrew Thomas is a modern-day legend in the Hunter Valley, crafting some of the region's greatest wines for over three decades. His personal label is regarded as a benchmark winery, with a focus on premium Shiraz and Semillon— the Hunter Valley's hero varieties. Thomas has access to some of the region’s best vineyards, allowing him to create wines that truly capture the essence of the Hunter.

Originally from McLaren Vale, Thommo moved to the Hunter Valley to join the winemaking team at Tyrrell's Wines. After 13 years, he ventured out to develop his own label, making single-vineyard wines that highlight the subtle differences between Hunter’s subregions.

Thomas Wines is known for its classic Hunter Valley Shiraz and Semillon, but it also occasionally explores innovative styles without compromising on value. The white wines are delicate and cellar-worthy, while the reds are full-bodied and classic in the best sense of the word, making them one of the benchmarks for modern Hunter Shiraz.

A mentor to much of the next generation of Hunter producers, if you want to try the essence of the Hunter Valley, Thommo's wines are a must-try.

The Thomas Wines Braemore Vineyard Hunter Valley, NSW Thomas Wines

Others also liked

Recently viewed

Common Questions

Delivery is free on orders of $150 or more.

For orders under this amount, delivery is calculated at checkout based on your postcode. You can order in any quantity or combination of wines you like. Straight dozens are not required.

We will dispatch your order the same or next business day.

Estimated delivery transit time varies depending on your location. Please review this page for specific estimates.

No sorry we do not have a store front and pickup is not available.

Yes, no problem. When placing your order select ‘Store at Different Drop and Delivery Later’ as your shipping method or reply to the order confirmation email after placing your order with additional instructions.

We stock three different sized gift boxes (single, three bottle and six), all are available for purchase for a flat rate of $8. They look great and make an awesome impression.

To add a gift box to your order, simply add at checkout. The special requests box is your friend, please give us as many details of what you are looking for and we will try our best, or get in contact to discuss it with you. 

If you want to bulk order gifts or if you have any trouble please email hello@differentdrop.com or call and we can try and help.

 

Our warehouse is automated so unless you tell us otherwise, we will ship your order. If you would like us to hold your order please reply to the order confirmation email after placing your order and we are happy to store your order for up to 6 months at no charge. You can review our heat policy here.

Yes, of course. We want Different Drop customers to always be getting the best price. You can see our price match policy here.

No, feel free to mix it up! There is no minimum requirement. You can order wines in any quantity or combination, 1 or 50+ bottles.

No, all prices are set at the full discounted dozen rate already.

If you can't add more wine to your cart it means we are low on stock of that wine. For example, if you are only able to 3 bottles and no more that means we only have 3 bottles left of that wine. If it's a must have, please contact us and we may be able to order more in for you.

Need a hand?

We’d love to help you out! Most questions can be sorted quickly through our Help Centre or by dropping us a line on chat or email. If it’s something urgent or you just really want to have a yarn about wine, food, or even the meaning of life, give us a call — we’re here for you.

Regular Enquiries

hello@differentdrop.com

Urgent Enquiries

02 8376 8775