About The Pack
The Hunter Valley is one of Australia's premier wine regions with a rich winemaking history that stretches back well over 100 years.
The region is alight at the moment with a new wave of producers (and some stalwarts) taking a more modern approach to winemaking, getting away from the huge "Parkerised" Shiraz of the '80s and '90s and looking for freshness and regionality to compliment the natural charm of Hunter Shiraz.
This pack gives you six different looks at modern Hunter Shiraz, from the naturally-made, lively, preservative-free example from Ritchie Harkham to the "Special Release Shiraz" from Tyrrell's, it covers the full spread of producers in the region.
Great value, great drinking, it's a Hunter Valley tour from the comfort of your home.
2020 Vinden Headcase Shiraz Nouveau
Young winemaker Angus Vinden with a fresh take on a classic wine style here.
This is not your average Hunter Valley Shiraz. Angus describes this as a 'nouveau' style of red. It's a light, frisky Shiraz grown on his family estate.
A world away from the leathery, savoury traditional Shiraz the region is famous for, this is a young jovial red perfect for drinking right now, even with a slight chill! Think Hunter Shiraz meets Beaujolais and you're heading in the right direction.
Looking for interesting new things from the Hunter Valley? This fresh look at Shiraz should be right up your alley.
Read more about 2020 Vinden Headcase Shiraz Nouveau2019 Harkham Hark Angel Shiraz
The Hark Angel is a wine with a beautiful but gut-wrenching back story.
In 2014 Richie Harkham (owner/winemaker) was involved in a serious motorcycle accident which obliterated his knee. After much rehabilitation, a tragic car accident lead to a donor for a replacement knee for Ritchie being found. This donor bettered or saved seven other lives.
Ritchie referred to the donor as his "Hark Angel". Ritchie now splits his time between and charity work and winemaking.
This is Hunter Valley Shiraz with the brightness and youthful characters dialled up to the max. It has a real verve and energy to it, much like its maker.
Read more about 2019 Harkham Hark Angel Shiraz2018 Becker Syrah
An exciting new Hunter Valley project on the rise here under the Becker banner.
James and Meagan Becker have a small plot of land in the Hunter Valley which is currently undergoing organic certification. They are aiming to release single vineyard wines that express the unique qualities of the Hunter Valley with as little intervention as possible. Their first releases look very promising.
These are classy, well built wines that deliver great value for money. The Syrah is slippery and sleek, peppered with spice and a hint of oak.
This is a great new addition to the Hunter Valley wine scene. A top vintage for the Hunter Valley captured perfectly by this young couple.
Read more about 2018 Becker Syrah2017 De Iuliis LDR Shiraz Touriga
There is a great sense of tradition and heritage in the Hunter Valley which is quite romantic, but Mike De Iuliis, along with some of his contemporaries are doing great things to advance the local industry into uncharted waters.
The LDR (Lovedale Road) Shiraz Touriga is a blend of Shiraz fruit sourced from their iconic Lovedale Road vineyard, planted by Joss De Iuliss in 1990 and 20% Touriga Nacional (a Portuguese variety, traditionally used in fortified wines) which Mike asked Joss to plant after being inspired by an SA winemaker friend’s use of the variety.
This wine just works. The earthy/red fruit characters of Hunter Shiraz meets the floral aromatics and structure of Touriga Nacional. Looking for a different red that still feels familiar? Try the LDR, it’s an absolute home run from Mike, and we hope we see more like it!
Read more about 2017 De Iuliis LDR Shiraz Touriga2017 Thomas Wines D.J.V. Shiraz
This wine is an homage to the wines made by the past legends of the Hunter Valley.
A student of the history of the region, Andrew Thomas has crafted this wine in the classic "Hunter River Burgundy" style. Where traditionally these wines were predominantly Shiraz with a small portion of Pinot Noir thrown in for added complexity and aromatic highlights, Thommo has made this with a touch of Semillon verjuice to give a crisp edge to the palate - a 'natural acidification and a tip of the cap to the red wines of an era gone by.
The effect is just brilliant. A modern spin on a classic style.
Read more about 2017 Thomas Wines D.J.V. Shiraz2017 Tyrrell’s Special Release Shiraz
This Shiraz is made from some very fine parcels of fruit from some of the Tyrrell family's most important vineyards.
Portions of fruit Weinkeller vineyard (a contributor to the iconic Vat 9 Shiraz) and also some fruit from younger vines planted just above the mythical Old Patch Shiraz vineyard brought together from the exemplary 2017 vintage. For fans of this iconic Australian wine dynasty, or just Hunter Shiraz enthusiests in general, this is a sensational value wine.
With 93 points from Gary Walsh, there just aren't many better reds from the region that you will see at this price.
Read more about 2017 Tyrrell’s Special Release Shiraz