This bold flavors of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz with our Premium Mixed 6 Pack Value. This selection features three exceptional Cabernet Sauvignons and three robust Shiraz wines, each showcasing the best of these classic varietals. Perfect for any occasion, this collection offers a rich and diverse tasting journey, ideal for wine enthusiasts and collectors alike. Enjoy premium quality and variety at an outstanding value. Cheers!
1 x Brokenwood Hunter Valley Shiraz 2019 ~ NSW, Australia
94/100 - Bob Campbell - The Real Review 93/100 - James Suckling 92/100 - James Halliday 90/100 - Huon Hooke - The Real Review 91/100 - 2021 Halliday Wine Companion (2018 Vintage) 95/100 - Mike Bennie (2017 vintage) 95/100 - James Suckling (2017 vintage) 95/100 - James Halliday (2017 vintage) 92/100 James Halliday (2015 vintage) 95/100 James Halliday (2014 vintage) 92/100 The Wine Front (2014 vintage) 94/100 James Halliday (2013 vintage) 95/100 James Halliday (2011 vintage)
James Halliday 5 Star Winery
Bob Campbell - The Real Review "Ripe shiraz with raspberry, plum, eucalyptus, violet, floral and spice flavours. A supple, sinewy wine with hints of baked earth. Approachable now but should age well. A classy wine with a fine, peppery texture."
James Suckling - "This has such impressively ripe yet poised style and offers bold blackberries, raspberries and plums with chocolate, leaves and bark, too. The palate has impressively supple and fleshy style and delivers ripe dark-berry flavors with freshness. Drinking well already. Drink or hold."
Ned Goodwin MW - James Halliday "When I think of Brokenwood, I think of this wine. The medium-bodied stalwart that showcases the savoury steadying hand that the Hunter imparts to its better wines. Red cherry, damson plum, baking spice, a seasoning of vanillan oak. There's a loamy, earthen feel to the swathe of tannin, gentle enough to encroach upon, yet firm enough to ensure ageability."
Huon Hooke - The Real Review "Bright, deep purple/red hue, with a nose of ground black peppercorns and subtle red fruits, the palate intense and shrill, youthfully aggressive with a little astringency from acidity and tannins, gritty and somewhat unready. It's a bit immature, but has very good potential"
James Halliday - "An archetypal Hunter Valley shiraz: medium-bodied with predominantly earthy/black fruits peppered by fine tannins that underwrite the cellaring certainty of a pure-bred wine." (2018 Vintage)
Mike Bennie - "Fragrant wine of pure-feeling fruit expression, just shy of medium weight, shaped with fine ribbons of tannin. Anise, kirsch and graphite mineral notes come to the fore. It’s a wine that feels sleek and spicy, silky and elegant, svelte and succulent, a touch of class, but with high drinkability in tow" (2017 vintage)
The Winefront ~ "It’s grown on the Graveyard vineyard; it’s essentially a “declassified Graveyard Shiraz”. It sees all-French oak, of course." (2017 vintage)
James Suckling - "This is a deep and pretty red with crushed blackberries, spices and dried flowers. Rose-petal undertones. Full-bodied yet tight and very integrated. Some smoke and tea undertones. Ripe fruit. Sliced meat, too." (2017 vintage)
James Halliday - "This may be the junior brother to Graveyard, but it's a brilliant one, with 25% new French oak, the grapes coming from the replanted vines on the Graveyard Vineyard. You have to work out whether you want six bottles of this or one bottle of Graveyard" (2017 vintage)
The Winemaker ~ "Lovely mid depth colour with purple tints. Lifted red spice, ginger and earthy notes on the aroma. Ripe fruit and low oak impact on the palate, with the new oak providing a slight vanillin sweetness. The ripe fruit tannins are perfect and with the acid give a very long finish to the wine. Typical medium bodied Hunter Valley Shiraz from a great year that will reward for many years" (2017 Vintage)
Established in 1970 Brokenwood Wines is one of Australia's most reputable premium wine labels and a must-visit in the Hunter Valley. It was established by Australia's leading wine critic, James Halliday. Consistently listed as a 5 star winery, Brokenwood is home to the famous Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz, the highly acclaimed ILR Reserve Semillon, and the popular Cricket Pitch Range.
At nearly 40 years young, Brokenwood Wines, in the heart of the Hunter Valley, can lay claim to not only an iconic vineyard with the Graveyard Vineyard but to the preservation of a wine fraternity that proudly has as its mission statement, 'to make great wine and have fun'.
The original land that was to become the Cricket Pitch Vineyard was purchased in 1970 and planted immediately to Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Graveyard Vineyard, planted to Shiraz in 1968, was bought in 1978 and by the mid 1980s was producing a premium Single Vineyard wine. The first Langton's Classification of Premium Australian Wine was launched in 1993 and the Graveyard Shiraz was then, and remains, the highest-placed Hunter Valley Shiraz.
The Hunter Valley is the best-known and most highly prized wine region in New South Wales. It is known as the region where the Australian wine industry started. The valley's winemakers have pioneered two distinctive styles of wine (oaked Chardonnay and dry Semillon) and has retained a strong connection with both of them. The Hunter Valley's most famous wine style is its distinctive dry Semillon, made there since the 1870s. Hunter Valley Semillons are renowned for their ability to improve with age.
Today, Brokenwood boasts an impressive array of premium quality wines, sourced from 'all the right regions, for all the right reasons', from the Graveyard Shiraz to the Cricket Pitch Sauvignon Blanc Semillon and Cricket Pitch Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot.
“Our philosophy is to produce wine that focuses on the unique regional characteristics of the Hunter Valley and premium wine regions throughout Australia.” Iain Riggs, Chief Winemaker & Managing Director, Brokenwood Wines.
Shiraz is the name given to the dark-skinned Syrah grape when grown in Australia and selected pockets of the New World. Though genetically identical, the stylistic differences between Shiraz and Syrah are usually pronounced.
Shiraz is so important to Australian viticulture that it is the most planted grape variety in the majority of Australian vineyards and has become virtually synonymous with the country's wine regions, and in particular the Barossa Valley.
2 x Patrick of Coonawarra Home Block Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 ~ Coonawarra ~ South Australia
92/100 Huon Hooke, The Real Review 95/100 Huon Hooke, The Real Review (2016 vintage) 94/100 Erin Larkin, Halliday Wine Companion (2016 vintage) 95/100 Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion (2015 vintage) 93/100 Falstaff (2015 vintage) 92/100 Tom Cannavan (2015 vintage) 90/100 Huon Hooke, The Real Review (2015 vintage)
Gold - Limestone Coast Wine Show Gold - AWC Vienna International Wine Challenge Silver - Cairns Wine Show Silver - Melbourne International Wine Competition
Huon Hooke, The Real Review "Deep red with a slight purple tint, the bouquet seaweedy/spicy, the palate full bodied and gently firm with a trace of final grip. Cedar and mellowing berry fruits. Full bodied and driving on the finish."
95/100 Huon Hooke, The Real Review "Deep red with a good tint of purple and walnutty, coconutty oak overtones on the nose. The wine is full-bodied and firmly structured with lots of density, tannin grip and stuffing. It has good drive through to a long finish and just needs a litte time—or protein-rich food—to soften it off. There's an excellent core of ripe fruit and classic structure that bodes well for the future." (2016 vintage)
Erin Larkin, Halliday Wine Companion "This is savoury to the end of days, with salted licorice, black pepper, blackberry compote, poached rhubarb and black tea, too. Despite the moderate alcohol, this drinks like a big wine, with extraordinary intensity. Sporting a new (and improved) label, this is very good, and stylistically very confident." (2016 vintage)
Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion "There's no doubting the quality here, although spending 2 years in French and American barriques, 50% new, m" akes a strong statement. A riper style, with plush tannins – but some grip, too. While it will continue to age well, start enjoying it now, while it has a balance of fruit." (2015 vintage)
Falstaff "Rather brooding aromas of dark cassis fruit give way to still very primary black fruit flavour, carefully wrapped in a fine tannic framework with an attractive dash of oak spice. Very sleek and controlled with plenty more to reveal as it matures." (2015 vintage)
Tom Cannavan "Flooded with creamy fruit on the palate, a sweet and supple blackcurrant with a nicely roughening rasp of plum skin tannin and acidity. Long, the tannins chewy despite the whole picture being medium-bodied, and very pleasing." (2015 vintage)
Huon Hooke, The Real Review "Deepish red/purple colour; aromas of dried meat, pencil-shavings oak and dried cranberry. The palate is quite tart and tangy, the acid overdone somewhat. This tends to thin out the mouth-feel and throw the harmony out of whack. There's some nice cassis in the centre and some oak on the aftertaste. Oak is on the borderline. Serve it with food for best results." (2016 vintage)
Home Block is an award-winning Cabernet Sauvignon, produced from vines surrounding the Tocaciu family home. It is a single vineyard parcel grown on terra rossa soil from vines planted in 1960.
Home Block was the first wine that Pat released for the family business. It shows the true essence of Coonawarra – rich, dark berry fruits and elegant tannins.
Patrick of Coonawarra was founded by Patrick Tocaciu; one of Australia's leading wine (and AFL football) figures. Patrick's reputation for producing exceptional wine earned him many international accolades for the major labels he worked as Chief Winemaker, including; Tollana, Penfolds, and Hollick Wines. Patrick's distinguished reputation continued with the establishment of his own Patrick of Coonawarra Estate label. The wines are built on the solid foundation of extensive estate vineyards: 36 hectares in Coonawarra and 42 hectares in Wrattonbully. The Wrattonbully plantings contain shiraz, sauvignon blanc, and some of the riesling. All of the cabernet is grown in Coonawarra. The Estate is now managed by his eonologist son, Luke who continues the tradition of producing wines of varietal and regional excellence.
Coonawarra is the most important wine region within South Australia, credited with producing some of the best red wines in the entire country, and often described as Australia's most famous terroir.
1 x Yabby Lake Single Vineyard Syrah 2019 - Victoria, Australia
91/100 Toni Paterson MW (2018 vintage) 91/100 Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine (2018 vintage) 96/100 GOLD James Halliday (2017 vintage) 95/200 Jeremy Oliver (2017 vintage) 92/100 The Wine Front (2017 vintage)
Four Stars - Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine (2018 vintage) Bronze - Decanter World Wine Awards (2010 Vintage) Bronze - Decanter World Wine Awards (2008 Vintage) Silver - Decanter World Wine Awards (2009 Vintage)
James Halliday 5 Star Winery
Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine “Elegant and beautifully balanced.....Opens with spicy cracked black pepper and bright notes of freshly picked blackberries. Plush and open with lovely freshness and vibrancy offering attractive fruit purity and peppery complexity....combines black cherry aromas with oak spices and a subtle touch of whole-bunch fragrance. There’s supple flesh on the palate with plenty of balanced tannin.”
The Winemaker "A perfumed and spicy Syrah, medium-bodied in style. The palate is concentrated and silky, with finely structured tannins, bright fruit characters, wonderful elegance and depth. Aged for 11 months in French oak. Stored carefully, this wine will age gracefully for ten years. "
Australian Wine Companion "This is another fantastic release under this label. Garden herbs, nuts, twigs and spice notes blend seamlessly with red and black cherries, licorice and wood smoke. Flamboyance is its middle name, but it has the discipline to make the most of it." (2017 vintage)
Yabby Lake Vineyard was established by the Kirby family in 1998 and over the past decade, Yabby Lake has built a reputation for single-vineyard Mornington Peninsula Chardonnay and Pinot Noir of great purity and character.
James Halliday "This high-profile wine business was established by Robert and Mem Kirby (of Village Roadshow), who had been landowners in the Mornington Peninsula for decades. In 1998 they established Yabby Lake Vineyard, under the direction of vineyard manager Keith Harris; the vineyard is on a north-facing slope, capturing maximum sunshine while also receiving sea breezes. The main focus is the 25ha of pinot noir, 14ha of chardonnay and 8ha of pinot gris; 3h of shiraz, merlot and sauvignon blanc take a back seat. The arrival of the hugely talented Tom Carson as Group Winemaker has added lustre to the winery and its wines, making the first Jimmy Watson Trophy-winning Pinot Noir in 2014, and continuing to blitz the Australian wine show circuit with Single Block Pinots."
Led by Tom Carson "one of Australia's most lauded winemakers" so cites Huon Hooke of the Real Review. Under Carson's direction, Yabby Lake's philosophy is to craft wines representative of their site and their season in which they were grown. Yabby Lake believe it’s this attention and care in the vineyard that is most critical to allowing this expression.
Huon Hooke "One of Carson’s biggest moments was winning the Jimmy Watson Trophy [Australia's most prestigious winemaker accolade] with his 2012 Block 1 Pinot Noir – the first pinot ever to win this coveted award."
Mornington Peninsula is one of Victoria's most important Australian wine regions, located an hour's drive south of Melbourne on the southern coast of Australia. It is one of Australia's coolest winegrowing regions and produces elegant Chardonnay and internationally award-winning Pinot Noir wines, and gaining a reputation for its quality medium-bodied, peppery shiraz.
Syrah is a dark-skinned red wine grape. Its origins have been popularly debated, but its modern viticultural home is unquestionably the northern Rhône Valley of eastern France. In Australia, Syrah is the flagship variety and has developed such a distinct personality that it is essentially regarded as a distinct variety, is commonly known as Shiraz.
1 x Swinney Frankland River Syrah 2019 - Great Southern, Frankland River, Western Australia
94/100 Halliday Wine Companion, Erin Larkin 94/100 The Wine Front, Gary Walsh 93/100 The Real Review, Stuart Knox 96/100 The Real Review, Huon Hooke (2018 vintage)
Young Gun of Wine - Australian Vineyard of The Year 2020 Five Star Halliday Rating (2016 vintage) James Halliday Top Ten ~ Best New Wineries 2015 (2016 vintage) #6 Top Wineries of Australia 2020 ~ The Real Review
Halliday Wine Companion, Erin Larkin "Quite reductive initially, but it blows off. This is consistently an elegant and supple wine, with very fine structure and saturating density of flavour. The length of flavour endures long past the final sip, showing the pedigree of fruit and the care and attention in both the vineyard and winery."
The Wine Front, Gary Walsh "All the cracked pepper and blackberry, the hint of wetsuit neoprene reduction, ground spices, char-grilled sausages on the BBQ. Medium-bodied, blueberry and blackberry, husky wheatgerm flavour and tannin, sweetness chopped back with thyme and black olive, clean acidity, boysenberry pie and a dry nutty finish of excellent length. Excellent. Savoury. Regional. Quite the looker."
The Real Review, Stuart Knox "Intense ruby and deep purple colours. A bright nose of blackberries, crushed-shells and dry herbs. A medium-weight red with well-concentrated fruits, all layered with broken stone and morcilla savoury notes. Quite firm and ripe tannins grip the mouth, but release into the finish leaving a pleasing fan of softness."
Waters Wine "Shiraz/Syrah and Australia. It just works. The 2021 is quiet different from previous releases; rounder in shape, ample with finer, lacier tannins. Not so sleek or linear and a dialling back of the mouth puckering mineral acidity. Blueberry, sweet cherry, violets, raspberry and delicate spice. Plush, without any sense of heaviness, a triumph of a full body in perfect proportions. As charming as it is powerful, finishing with very fine tannins. I think this will surprise in the cellar, despite the gentle grip, for at least two decades."
The Real Review, Huon Hooke "Deep, bright red/purple colour with a sweet, ripe blueberry to blackberry aroma. Traces of ironstone. A superb array of spices and berry fruits, pepper among them. Great elegance and persistence; a very stylish modern Aussie shiraz which justifies the syrah name." (2018 vintage)
Young Gun of Wine, Australian Vineyard of The Year 2020 "The Swinney vineyard represents modern viticulture interwoven with Old-World techniques, executed with precision through a combination of exhaustive manual work and state-of-the-art technology, and all underpinned by an environmental focus...and the quality of the resulting wines, is truly extraordinary and inspiring.”
Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine ~ Wines to Watch ~ Nick Ryan "...an impressive suite of wines that provide compelling evidence of real understanding of site and dedication to capturing what makes it special."
Organic wines are made from grapes grown without pesticides, following strict organic standards. Organic wines are produced in vineyards that do not use synthetic chemicals. Certified organic wines in Australia.
The Swinneys are a pair of brother-and-sister winemakers who are one of the rare new Australian wineries to have two of their wines invited onto the esteemed wine lists of The Ivy and Savoy Grill (Gordon Ramsay) restaurants in London. Swinney Vineyards made its debut in Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion 2015 with a five-star rating and were ranked in the top ten of best new wineries.
Swinney Vineyards made its debut in Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion 2015 with a five-star rating and were ranked in the top ten of best new wineries.
Frankland River is a key Australian wine sub-region the south of Western Australia. It is located just inland from the Southern Ocean coast, 115 miles east of Margaret River. Frankland River is the coldest wine region in continental Australia. Riesling is the area's specialty, with its crisp, fresh style standing out from the more diesel–kerosene notes found in the warmer regions further north.
1 x Hewitson Mad Hatter Shiraz 2019 - Barossa Valley, South Australia
95/100 Ray Jordan, Wine Pilot 95/100 Ken Gargett, Wine Pilot 93/100 James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion 93/100 Aaron Brasher, The Real Review 93/100 Regan Drew, Wine Pilot 93/100 James Suckling 91/100 Campbell Mattinson, Wine Front 91/100 Andrew Graham, Wine Pilot 96/100 Sam Kim, Wine Orbit(2018 vintage) 94/100 James Suckling (2018 vintage) 92/100 Gary Walsh, Wine Front (2018 vintage) 92/100 Huon Hooke, The Real Review (2018 vintage) 92/100 Hao Shen, Tasting Notes by Hao Shen (2018 vintage)
Halliday Wine Companion - 5 Star Winery James Halliday Top 100 Wine 2018 James Halliday Top 100 Winery 2017 James Halliday Top 100 Wine 2017
Aaron Brasher “Deep, dark and brooding in the glass. Dark-fruited aromas, stewed plum, mulberry, licorice, violets and dried herbs. Rich, dark and powerful on the palate, satsuma plum, a little tartness, luscious and mouth-filling. There's also plenty of tannin and acidity to keep the plush fruit behaving. Smart length and texture.”
Ken Gargett “The colour is deep dark red with flecks of purple throughout. Deep and intense, the nose offers rose petal notes, graphite, dark berries, mulberries, florals and a hint of that sweet, earthy character found in a tin of sliced beetroot. There is serious grip here, by way of fine yet firm tannins. The wine has serious length. This is a cracking young Shiraz”
Huon Hooke, The Real Review "Very ripe sweet berry fruit and spices (cloves and pepper) to sniff, the taste exotic and sweet-fruited, lush and supple textured, nicely balanced and quite concentrated. It needed time, air and patience." (2018 Vintage)
Sam Kim "Wonderfully ripe and impeccably proportioned, the bouquet shows sweet aromas of dark berries together with seductive nuances of vanilla, dark cocoa, olive and violet. The palate is sumptuous and opulent, offering terrific fruit power and richness, gorgeously complemented by velvety mouthfeel and seamlessly woven tannins." (2018 Vintage)
In early 2021, leading global publication Wine Enthusiast included Hewitson in its top 10 list of “Vineyards Behind the World’s Most Famous Wines” alongside heralded blocks in Burgundy, Champagne, Piedmont and Napa Valley.
Australian Wine Companion "Established in 1998 Hewitson winery is situated in the heart of the Barossa Valley on the historic Seppeltsfield Road and boasts some of the oldest vines in the world. Hewitson fruit is sourced from historic, dry-grown vineyards in the Barossa Valley and also from single site vineyards in Eden Valley, McLaren Vale and the Adelaide Hills."
Frederick Wildman "Dean Hewitson founded his eponymous winery in 1998. He is a highly respected Australian winemaker ...Hewitson has worked at wineries in Australia, France, Italy and Oregon. Hewitson then moved to the U.S. where he earned a Masters from UC-Davis. On his return home, Dean brought a wealth of knowledge, practical experience and a driving passion to produce wines not only from Barossa Valley but also from the McLaren Vale and the Adelaide Hills regions.
Hewitson fundamentally believes great wines are the expression of the soils they are grown in and the season in which they are grown. With his longstanding focus on terroir—specific terroir plots in fact—many of Hewitson’s wines are single vineyard. He sources grapes from not only his own vineyards but also from long-standing grower contracts including a few sourced from some of the oldest living, still productive vines on plots that date back to the mid-19th century and are pre-phylloxera. His ‘Old Garden’ Mourvèdre is a single-vineyard wine, whose vines were planted in 1853 in Barossa Valley and are reputed to be the oldest Mourvèdre vines in the world. Hewitson’s ‘Miss Harry’ is sourced from a Grenache vineyard planted in 1880, also thought to be the oldest Grenache in existence.
Due to Hewitson’s education and experience in Australia, California and France, Hewitson wines combine Old-World traditions with New-World fruit purity. And while he clearly excels with Rhône Valley grape varieties, Hewitson also produces award-winning Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc. A practitioner in solar energy, water recycling and encouraging natural biodiversity, Hewitson produces wines in an environmentally sustainable fashion."
James Halliday "Dean Hewitson was a winemaker at Petaluma [one of Australia's leading wineries] for 10 years, during which time he managed to do three vintages in France and one in Oregon as well as undertaking his Masters at the University of California, Davis. It is hardly surprising that the wines are immaculately made from a technical viewpoint. Dean sources 30-year-old Riesling from the Eden Valley and 70-year-old shiraz from McLaren Vale; he also makes a Barossa Valley Mourvedre from vines planted in 1853 at Rowland Flat, and Barossa Valley Shiraz and Grenache from 60-year-old vines at Tanunda."
The Barossa Valley is an extremely important wine-producing region within the Barossa zone of South Australia, particularly associated with powerful red wines from the red wine grape variety Shiraz. A prestigious and internationally renowned region, it is not only home to some of the oldest vineyards and wineries in Australia but produces some of its most recognizable and sought-after brands. A striking feature of the Barossa Valley's wine landscape is the presence of very old vines, proudly showcased on many wine labels and during vineyard tours.
Shiraz is the name given to the dark-skinned Syrah grape when grown in Australia and selected pockets of the New World. Though genetically identical, the stylistic differences between Shiraz and Syrah are usually pronounced.
Shiraz is so important to Australian viticulture that it is the most planted grape variety in the majority of Australian vineyards and has become virtually synonymous with the country's wine regions, and in particular the Barossa Valley.
This bold flavors of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz with our Premium Mixed 6 Pack Value. This selection features three exceptional Cabernet Sauvignons and three robust Shiraz wines, each showcasing the best of these classic varietals. Perfect for any occasion, this collection offers a rich and diverse tasting journey, ideal for wine enthusiasts and collectors alike. Enjoy premium quality and variety at an outstanding value. Cheers!
1 x Brokenwood Hunter Valley Shiraz 2019 ~ NSW, Australia
94/100 - Bob Campbell - The Real Review 93/100 - James Suckling 92/100 - James Halliday 90/100 - Huon Hooke - The Real Review 91/100 - 2021 Halliday Wine Companion (2018 Vintage) 95/100 - Mike Bennie (2017 vintage) 95/100 - James Suckling (2017 vintage) 95/100 - James Halliday (2017 vintage) 92/100 James Halliday (2015 vintage) 95/100 James Halliday (2014 vintage) 92/100 The Wine Front (2014 vintage) 94/100 James Halliday (2013 vintage) 95/100 James Halliday (2011 vintage)
James Halliday 5 Star Winery
Bob Campbell - The Real Review "Ripe shiraz with raspberry, plum, eucalyptus, violet, floral and spice flavours. A supple, sinewy wine with hints of baked earth. Approachable now but should age well. A classy wine with a fine, peppery texture."
James Suckling - "This has such impressively ripe yet poised style and offers bold blackberries, raspberries and plums with chocolate, leaves and bark, too. The palate has impressively supple and fleshy style and delivers ripe dark-berry flavors with freshness. Drinking well already. Drink or hold."
Ned Goodwin MW - James Halliday "When I think of Brokenwood, I think of this wine. The medium-bodied stalwart that showcases the savoury steadying hand that the Hunter imparts to its better wines. Red cherry, damson plum, baking spice, a seasoning of vanillan oak. There's a loamy, earthen feel to the swathe of tannin, gentle enough to encroach upon, yet firm enough to ensure ageability."
Huon Hooke - The Real Review "Bright, deep purple/red hue, with a nose of ground black peppercorns and subtle red fruits, the palate intense and shrill, youthfully aggressive with a little astringency from acidity and tannins, gritty and somewhat unready. It's a bit immature, but has very good potential"
James Halliday - "An archetypal Hunter Valley shiraz: medium-bodied with predominantly earthy/black fruits peppered by fine tannins that underwrite the cellaring certainty of a pure-bred wine." (2018 Vintage)
Mike Bennie - "Fragrant wine of pure-feeling fruit expression, just shy of medium weight, shaped with fine ribbons of tannin. Anise, kirsch and graphite mineral notes come to the fore. It’s a wine that feels sleek and spicy, silky and elegant, svelte and succulent, a touch of class, but with high drinkability in tow" (2017 vintage)
The Winefront ~ "It’s grown on the Graveyard vineyard; it’s essentially a “declassified Graveyard Shiraz”. It sees all-French oak, of course." (2017 vintage)
James Suckling - "This is a deep and pretty red with crushed blackberries, spices and dried flowers. Rose-petal undertones. Full-bodied yet tight and very integrated. Some smoke and tea undertones. Ripe fruit. Sliced meat, too." (2017 vintage)
James Halliday - "This may be the junior brother to Graveyard, but it's a brilliant one, with 25% new French oak, the grapes coming from the replanted vines on the Graveyard Vineyard. You have to work out whether you want six bottles of this or one bottle of Graveyard" (2017 vintage)
The Winemaker ~ "Lovely mid depth colour with purple tints. Lifted red spice, ginger and earthy notes on the aroma. Ripe fruit and low oak impact on the palate, with the new oak providing a slight vanillin sweetness. The ripe fruit tannins are perfect and with the acid give a very long finish to the wine. Typical medium bodied Hunter Valley Shiraz from a great year that will reward for many years" (2017 Vintage)
Established in 1970 Brokenwood Wines is one of Australia's most reputable premium wine labels and a must-visit in the Hunter Valley. It was established by Australia's leading wine critic, James Halliday. Consistently listed as a 5 star winery, Brokenwood is home to the famous Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz, the highly acclaimed ILR Reserve Semillon, and the popular Cricket Pitch Range.
At nearly 40 years young, Brokenwood Wines, in the heart of the Hunter Valley, can lay claim to not only an iconic vineyard with the Graveyard Vineyard but to the preservation of a wine fraternity that proudly has as its mission statement, 'to make great wine and have fun'.
The original land that was to become the Cricket Pitch Vineyard was purchased in 1970 and planted immediately to Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Graveyard Vineyard, planted to Shiraz in 1968, was bought in 1978 and by the mid 1980s was producing a premium Single Vineyard wine. The first Langton's Classification of Premium Australian Wine was launched in 1993 and the Graveyard Shiraz was then, and remains, the highest-placed Hunter Valley Shiraz.
The Hunter Valley is the best-known and most highly prized wine region in New South Wales. It is known as the region where the Australian wine industry started. The valley's winemakers have pioneered two distinctive styles of wine (oaked Chardonnay and dry Semillon) and has retained a strong connection with both of them. The Hunter Valley's most famous wine style is its distinctive dry Semillon, made there since the 1870s. Hunter Valley Semillons are renowned for their ability to improve with age.
Today, Brokenwood boasts an impressive array of premium quality wines, sourced from 'all the right regions, for all the right reasons', from the Graveyard Shiraz to the Cricket Pitch Sauvignon Blanc Semillon and Cricket Pitch Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot.
“Our philosophy is to produce wine that focuses on the unique regional characteristics of the Hunter Valley and premium wine regions throughout Australia.” Iain Riggs, Chief Winemaker & Managing Director, Brokenwood Wines.
Shiraz is the name given to the dark-skinned Syrah grape when grown in Australia and selected pockets of the New World. Though genetically identical, the stylistic differences between Shiraz and Syrah are usually pronounced.
Shiraz is so important to Australian viticulture that it is the most planted grape variety in the majority of Australian vineyards and has become virtually synonymous with the country's wine regions, and in particular the Barossa Valley.
2 x Patrick of Coonawarra Home Block Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 ~ Coonawarra ~ South Australia
92/100 Huon Hooke, The Real Review 95/100 Huon Hooke, The Real Review (2016 vintage) 94/100 Erin Larkin, Halliday Wine Companion (2016 vintage) 95/100 Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion (2015 vintage) 93/100 Falstaff (2015 vintage) 92/100 Tom Cannavan (2015 vintage) 90/100 Huon Hooke, The Real Review (2015 vintage)
Gold - Limestone Coast Wine Show Gold - AWC Vienna International Wine Challenge Silver - Cairns Wine Show Silver - Melbourne International Wine Competition
Huon Hooke, The Real Review "Deep red with a slight purple tint, the bouquet seaweedy/spicy, the palate full bodied and gently firm with a trace of final grip. Cedar and mellowing berry fruits. Full bodied and driving on the finish."
95/100 Huon Hooke, The Real Review "Deep red with a good tint of purple and walnutty, coconutty oak overtones on the nose. The wine is full-bodied and firmly structured with lots of density, tannin grip and stuffing. It has good drive through to a long finish and just needs a litte time—or protein-rich food—to soften it off. There's an excellent core of ripe fruit and classic structure that bodes well for the future." (2016 vintage)
Erin Larkin, Halliday Wine Companion "This is savoury to the end of days, with salted licorice, black pepper, blackberry compote, poached rhubarb and black tea, too. Despite the moderate alcohol, this drinks like a big wine, with extraordinary intensity. Sporting a new (and improved) label, this is very good, and stylistically very confident." (2016 vintage)
Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion "There's no doubting the quality here, although spending 2 years in French and American barriques, 50% new, m" akes a strong statement. A riper style, with plush tannins – but some grip, too. While it will continue to age well, start enjoying it now, while it has a balance of fruit." (2015 vintage)
Falstaff "Rather brooding aromas of dark cassis fruit give way to still very primary black fruit flavour, carefully wrapped in a fine tannic framework with an attractive dash of oak spice. Very sleek and controlled with plenty more to reveal as it matures." (2015 vintage)
Tom Cannavan "Flooded with creamy fruit on the palate, a sweet and supple blackcurrant with a nicely roughening rasp of plum skin tannin and acidity. Long, the tannins chewy despite the whole picture being medium-bodied, and very pleasing." (2015 vintage)
Huon Hooke, The Real Review "Deepish red/purple colour; aromas of dried meat, pencil-shavings oak and dried cranberry. The palate is quite tart and tangy, the acid overdone somewhat. This tends to thin out the mouth-feel and throw the harmony out of whack. There's some nice cassis in the centre and some oak on the aftertaste. Oak is on the borderline. Serve it with food for best results." (2016 vintage)
Home Block is an award-winning Cabernet Sauvignon, produced from vines surrounding the Tocaciu family home. It is a single vineyard parcel grown on terra rossa soil from vines planted in 1960.
Home Block was the first wine that Pat released for the family business. It shows the true essence of Coonawarra – rich, dark berry fruits and elegant tannins.
Patrick of Coonawarra was founded by Patrick Tocaciu; one of Australia's leading wine (and AFL football) figures. Patrick's reputation for producing exceptional wine earned him many international accolades for the major labels he worked as Chief Winemaker, including; Tollana, Penfolds, and Hollick Wines. Patrick's distinguished reputation continued with the establishment of his own Patrick of Coonawarra Estate label. The wines are built on the solid foundation of extensive estate vineyards: 36 hectares in Coonawarra and 42 hectares in Wrattonbully. The Wrattonbully plantings contain shiraz, sauvignon blanc, and some of the riesling. All of the cabernet is grown in Coonawarra. The Estate is now managed by his eonologist son, Luke who continues the tradition of producing wines of varietal and regional excellence.
Coonawarra is the most important wine region within South Australia, credited with producing some of the best red wines in the entire country, and often described as Australia's most famous terroir.
1 x Yabby Lake Single Vineyard Syrah 2019 - Victoria, Australia
91/100 Toni Paterson MW (2018 vintage) 91/100 Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine (2018 vintage) 96/100 GOLD James Halliday (2017 vintage) 95/200 Jeremy Oliver (2017 vintage) 92/100 The Wine Front (2017 vintage)
Four Stars - Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine (2018 vintage) Bronze - Decanter World Wine Awards (2010 Vintage) Bronze - Decanter World Wine Awards (2008 Vintage) Silver - Decanter World Wine Awards (2009 Vintage)
James Halliday 5 Star Winery
Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine “Elegant and beautifully balanced.....Opens with spicy cracked black pepper and bright notes of freshly picked blackberries. Plush and open with lovely freshness and vibrancy offering attractive fruit purity and peppery complexity....combines black cherry aromas with oak spices and a subtle touch of whole-bunch fragrance. There’s supple flesh on the palate with plenty of balanced tannin.”
The Winemaker "A perfumed and spicy Syrah, medium-bodied in style. The palate is concentrated and silky, with finely structured tannins, bright fruit characters, wonderful elegance and depth. Aged for 11 months in French oak. Stored carefully, this wine will age gracefully for ten years. "
Australian Wine Companion "This is another fantastic release under this label. Garden herbs, nuts, twigs and spice notes blend seamlessly with red and black cherries, licorice and wood smoke. Flamboyance is its middle name, but it has the discipline to make the most of it." (2017 vintage)
Yabby Lake Vineyard was established by the Kirby family in 1998 and over the past decade, Yabby Lake has built a reputation for single-vineyard Mornington Peninsula Chardonnay and Pinot Noir of great purity and character.
James Halliday "This high-profile wine business was established by Robert and Mem Kirby (of Village Roadshow), who had been landowners in the Mornington Peninsula for decades. In 1998 they established Yabby Lake Vineyard, under the direction of vineyard manager Keith Harris; the vineyard is on a north-facing slope, capturing maximum sunshine while also receiving sea breezes. The main focus is the 25ha of pinot noir, 14ha of chardonnay and 8ha of pinot gris; 3h of shiraz, merlot and sauvignon blanc take a back seat. The arrival of the hugely talented Tom Carson as Group Winemaker has added lustre to the winery and its wines, making the first Jimmy Watson Trophy-winning Pinot Noir in 2014, and continuing to blitz the Australian wine show circuit with Single Block Pinots."
Led by Tom Carson "one of Australia's most lauded winemakers" so cites Huon Hooke of the Real Review. Under Carson's direction, Yabby Lake's philosophy is to craft wines representative of their site and their season in which they were grown. Yabby Lake believe it’s this attention and care in the vineyard that is most critical to allowing this expression.
Huon Hooke "One of Carson’s biggest moments was winning the Jimmy Watson Trophy [Australia's most prestigious winemaker accolade] with his 2012 Block 1 Pinot Noir – the first pinot ever to win this coveted award."
Mornington Peninsula is one of Victoria's most important Australian wine regions, located an hour's drive south of Melbourne on the southern coast of Australia. It is one of Australia's coolest winegrowing regions and produces elegant Chardonnay and internationally award-winning Pinot Noir wines, and gaining a reputation for its quality medium-bodied, peppery shiraz.
Syrah is a dark-skinned red wine grape. Its origins have been popularly debated, but its modern viticultural home is unquestionably the northern Rhône Valley of eastern France. In Australia, Syrah is the flagship variety and has developed such a distinct personality that it is essentially regarded as a distinct variety, is commonly known as Shiraz.
1 x Swinney Frankland River Syrah 2019 - Great Southern, Frankland River, Western Australia
94/100 Halliday Wine Companion, Erin Larkin 94/100 The Wine Front, Gary Walsh 93/100 The Real Review, Stuart Knox 96/100 The Real Review, Huon Hooke (2018 vintage)
Young Gun of Wine - Australian Vineyard of The Year 2020 Five Star Halliday Rating (2016 vintage) James Halliday Top Ten ~ Best New Wineries 2015 (2016 vintage) #6 Top Wineries of Australia 2020 ~ The Real Review
Halliday Wine Companion, Erin Larkin "Quite reductive initially, but it blows off. This is consistently an elegant and supple wine, with very fine structure and saturating density of flavour. The length of flavour endures long past the final sip, showing the pedigree of fruit and the care and attention in both the vineyard and winery."
The Wine Front, Gary Walsh "All the cracked pepper and blackberry, the hint of wetsuit neoprene reduction, ground spices, char-grilled sausages on the BBQ. Medium-bodied, blueberry and blackberry, husky wheatgerm flavour and tannin, sweetness chopped back with thyme and black olive, clean acidity, boysenberry pie and a dry nutty finish of excellent length. Excellent. Savoury. Regional. Quite the looker."
The Real Review, Stuart Knox "Intense ruby and deep purple colours. A bright nose of blackberries, crushed-shells and dry herbs. A medium-weight red with well-concentrated fruits, all layered with broken stone and morcilla savoury notes. Quite firm and ripe tannins grip the mouth, but release into the finish leaving a pleasing fan of softness."
Waters Wine "Shiraz/Syrah and Australia. It just works. The 2021 is quiet different from previous releases; rounder in shape, ample with finer, lacier tannins. Not so sleek or linear and a dialling back of the mouth puckering mineral acidity. Blueberry, sweet cherry, violets, raspberry and delicate spice. Plush, without any sense of heaviness, a triumph of a full body in perfect proportions. As charming as it is powerful, finishing with very fine tannins. I think this will surprise in the cellar, despite the gentle grip, for at least two decades."
The Real Review, Huon Hooke "Deep, bright red/purple colour with a sweet, ripe blueberry to blackberry aroma. Traces of ironstone. A superb array of spices and berry fruits, pepper among them. Great elegance and persistence; a very stylish modern Aussie shiraz which justifies the syrah name." (2018 vintage)
Young Gun of Wine, Australian Vineyard of The Year 2020 "The Swinney vineyard represents modern viticulture interwoven with Old-World techniques, executed with precision through a combination of exhaustive manual work and state-of-the-art technology, and all underpinned by an environmental focus...and the quality of the resulting wines, is truly extraordinary and inspiring.”
Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine ~ Wines to Watch ~ Nick Ryan "...an impressive suite of wines that provide compelling evidence of real understanding of site and dedication to capturing what makes it special."
Organic wines are made from grapes grown without pesticides, following strict organic standards. Organic wines are produced in vineyards that do not use synthetic chemicals. Certified organic wines in Australia.
The Swinneys are a pair of brother-and-sister winemakers who are one of the rare new Australian wineries to have two of their wines invited onto the esteemed wine lists of The Ivy and Savoy Grill (Gordon Ramsay) restaurants in London. Swinney Vineyards made its debut in Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion 2015 with a five-star rating and were ranked in the top ten of best new wineries.
Swinney Vineyards made its debut in Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion 2015 with a five-star rating and were ranked in the top ten of best new wineries.
Frankland River is a key Australian wine sub-region the south of Western Australia. It is located just inland from the Southern Ocean coast, 115 miles east of Margaret River. Frankland River is the coldest wine region in continental Australia. Riesling is the area's specialty, with its crisp, fresh style standing out from the more diesel–kerosene notes found in the warmer regions further north.
1 x Hewitson Mad Hatter Shiraz 2019 - Barossa Valley, South Australia
95/100 Ray Jordan, Wine Pilot 95/100 Ken Gargett, Wine Pilot 93/100 James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion 93/100 Aaron Brasher, The Real Review 93/100 Regan Drew, Wine Pilot 93/100 James Suckling 91/100 Campbell Mattinson, Wine Front 91/100 Andrew Graham, Wine Pilot 96/100 Sam Kim, Wine Orbit(2018 vintage) 94/100 James Suckling (2018 vintage) 92/100 Gary Walsh, Wine Front (2018 vintage) 92/100 Huon Hooke, The Real Review (2018 vintage) 92/100 Hao Shen, Tasting Notes by Hao Shen (2018 vintage)
Halliday Wine Companion - 5 Star Winery James Halliday Top 100 Wine 2018 James Halliday Top 100 Winery 2017 James Halliday Top 100 Wine 2017
Aaron Brasher “Deep, dark and brooding in the glass. Dark-fruited aromas, stewed plum, mulberry, licorice, violets and dried herbs. Rich, dark and powerful on the palate, satsuma plum, a little tartness, luscious and mouth-filling. There's also plenty of tannin and acidity to keep the plush fruit behaving. Smart length and texture.”
Ken Gargett “The colour is deep dark red with flecks of purple throughout. Deep and intense, the nose offers rose petal notes, graphite, dark berries, mulberries, florals and a hint of that sweet, earthy character found in a tin of sliced beetroot. There is serious grip here, by way of fine yet firm tannins. The wine has serious length. This is a cracking young Shiraz”
Huon Hooke, The Real Review "Very ripe sweet berry fruit and spices (cloves and pepper) to sniff, the taste exotic and sweet-fruited, lush and supple textured, nicely balanced and quite concentrated. It needed time, air and patience." (2018 Vintage)
Sam Kim "Wonderfully ripe and impeccably proportioned, the bouquet shows sweet aromas of dark berries together with seductive nuances of vanilla, dark cocoa, olive and violet. The palate is sumptuous and opulent, offering terrific fruit power and richness, gorgeously complemented by velvety mouthfeel and seamlessly woven tannins." (2018 Vintage)
In early 2021, leading global publication Wine Enthusiast included Hewitson in its top 10 list of “Vineyards Behind the World’s Most Famous Wines” alongside heralded blocks in Burgundy, Champagne, Piedmont and Napa Valley.
Australian Wine Companion "Established in 1998 Hewitson winery is situated in the heart of the Barossa Valley on the historic Seppeltsfield Road and boasts some of the oldest vines in the world. Hewitson fruit is sourced from historic, dry-grown vineyards in the Barossa Valley and also from single site vineyards in Eden Valley, McLaren Vale and the Adelaide Hills."
Frederick Wildman "Dean Hewitson founded his eponymous winery in 1998. He is a highly respected Australian winemaker ...Hewitson has worked at wineries in Australia, France, Italy and Oregon. Hewitson then moved to the U.S. where he earned a Masters from UC-Davis. On his return home, Dean brought a wealth of knowledge, practical experience and a driving passion to produce wines not only from Barossa Valley but also from the McLaren Vale and the Adelaide Hills regions.
Hewitson fundamentally believes great wines are the expression of the soils they are grown in and the season in which they are grown. With his longstanding focus on terroir—specific terroir plots in fact—many of Hewitson’s wines are single vineyard. He sources grapes from not only his own vineyards but also from long-standing grower contracts including a few sourced from some of the oldest living, still productive vines on plots that date back to the mid-19th century and are pre-phylloxera. His ‘Old Garden’ Mourvèdre is a single-vineyard wine, whose vines were planted in 1853 in Barossa Valley and are reputed to be the oldest Mourvèdre vines in the world. Hewitson’s ‘Miss Harry’ is sourced from a Grenache vineyard planted in 1880, also thought to be the oldest Grenache in existence.
Due to Hewitson’s education and experience in Australia, California and France, Hewitson wines combine Old-World traditions with New-World fruit purity. And while he clearly excels with Rhône Valley grape varieties, Hewitson also produces award-winning Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc. A practitioner in solar energy, water recycling and encouraging natural biodiversity, Hewitson produces wines in an environmentally sustainable fashion."
James Halliday "Dean Hewitson was a winemaker at Petaluma [one of Australia's leading wineries] for 10 years, during which time he managed to do three vintages in France and one in Oregon as well as undertaking his Masters at the University of California, Davis. It is hardly surprising that the wines are immaculately made from a technical viewpoint. Dean sources 30-year-old Riesling from the Eden Valley and 70-year-old shiraz from McLaren Vale; he also makes a Barossa Valley Mourvedre from vines planted in 1853 at Rowland Flat, and Barossa Valley Shiraz and Grenache from 60-year-old vines at Tanunda."
The Barossa Valley is an extremely important wine-producing region within the Barossa zone of South Australia, particularly associated with powerful red wines from the red wine grape variety Shiraz. A prestigious and internationally renowned region, it is not only home to some of the oldest vineyards and wineries in Australia but produces some of its most recognizable and sought-after brands. A striking feature of the Barossa Valley's wine landscape is the presence of very old vines, proudly showcased on many wine labels and during vineyard tours.
Shiraz is the name given to the dark-skinned Syrah grape when grown in Australia and selected pockets of the New World. Though genetically identical, the stylistic differences between Shiraz and Syrah are usually pronounced.
Shiraz is so important to Australian viticulture that it is the most planted grape variety in the majority of Australian vineyards and has become virtually synonymous with the country's wine regions, and in particular the Barossa Valley.
