Vat 1 Hunter Semillon

by Lester Jesberg - Winewise on

Highly Recommended - Slightly honeyed, but still fresh and lively. The palate is generous, linear and delicious.

by Matthew Jukes - 100 Best Australian Wines 2012 on

This is my favourite vintage of Vat 1 in years, blended from three spectacular vineyards planted between 1920 and 1965. At a mere 10.7 the impact and complexity of flavour that is this pale hued wine delivers is nothing short of mind-blowing. Just starting out on a long life, the ‘06 Vat 1 is, to my mind, the greatest dry semillon in the world.

by James Halliday - Australian Wine Companion 2013 on

96 Points & Outstanding - It is hard to believe this wine is six years of age, as it is still restrained, youthful and backward, as lemon sherbet and mere suggestions of straw and coriander appear; beautiful line and length and with so much time ahead, this is a worthy investment indeed.

by Nick Stock - Good Wine Guide 2013 on

93 Points - This wine has sailed effortlessly into focus as a mature, classic Hunter semillon, and it’s not done yet! Plenty of citrus and creamed lime/lemon butter on the nose, showing the best of youth and adulthood here. The palate’s smoothly honed and has calm, balanced appeal, with an emerging complex, toasty phase on the next horizon. Lovely wine.

by Tyson Stelzer - Qantas, The Australian Way on

Hunter locals said Bruce Tyrrell was mad to pick his semillon so early in 2006. The recent release of his flagship proved otherwise, capturing wonderfully ripe lemon zest within a shell of classic Vat 1 stamina and high-tensile acidity. Six years old, it’s unraveling incrementally to reveal nuances of roast nuts and preserved lemons.

by James Halliday - Australian Wine Companion 2012 on

The display of 14 gold medals and seven trophies on the bottle borders on the vulgar, however richly it deserves this haul. It is still a pale, bright green, and the lemon/mineral flavours are exceptionally fresh and vibrant, lingering for minutes on the finish and aftertaste; a freak wine that will live as long as any red of a similar age.

Rufus Stone McLaren Vale Shiraz

by Mike Bennie - WBM on

89 Points - Often reliable is Rufus Stone - the palate shows ripe red berry fruits and mintiness. It’s an even keeled, medium bodied style that builds with spice and pepper character. Faintly grippy tannins, good length and fresh as you like.

by Tony Keys - The Key Review on

91 Points - A touch lighter on the nose than most McLaren Vale Shiraz but that is of little consequence. Tight structure in the mouth with beautiful aftertaste perfume remaining, needs a little more bottle time but it’s a good wine. 91 Points now but a couple more to come if it develops well…

Old Winery Chardonnay

by James Halliday - James Halliday's Top 100 Wines of 2012 on

90 Points - Has considerable colour development, although it is bright; the varietal fruit is vibrant and clear, with white flesh stone fruit and citrus to the fore; there is the faintest suggestion of oak that has been carefully kept in check. The best Hunter Valley chardonnay in its price group.

Old Winery Semillon

by Nick Stock - Good Wine Guide 2013 on

91 Points - A terrific wine for the money, this is a bargain with plenty of class to boot. The nose is all lemon and grapefruit pitch and the palate’s really bright, crunchy and juicy. Great balance here - lovely wine.

Rufus Stone Heathcote Shiraz

by Huon Hooke - Good Living, SMH on

90 Points - Here’s a juicy, cuddly medium bodied shiraz from a brilliant Heathcote vintage, flavoured with aniseed, dark plum, chocolate and liquorice. Oak is fairly evident at first sniff, but the palate balance is fine. The finish is clean and appetising. Best now to 2020.

by Natalie MacLean - nataliemaclean.com on

92 Points - I love this shiraz, even as I watched its price increase rapidly due to popularity. It’s rich and round with warm inviting aromas of fleshy black plums. A lovely acidity brightens the middle. Some kind of wonderful.

Vat 47 Hunter Chardonnay

by John Lewis - Newcastle Herald on

5 Glasses - This, along with the 2006, was among my top wines in a recent tasting of Vat 47s from 2005 to 2010. A further tasting this week confirms it as a chardonnay of delicacy and focus. The wine is light gold with olive green tints and the nose shows scents of honeydew elegance, melon and vanilla beans. Crisp, elegant white nectarine flavour shows on the front of the palate and citrus, mineral and quince jelly fruit characters integrate with creamy oak on the middle palate. Flinty acid features at the finish.

by Winsor Dobbin - Travel & Living on

The Hunter Valley is well known for the quality of its semillon and shiraz but less recognised for its chardonnays, some of which – like this benchmark – are of exemplary quality. Matured in a combination of new and old French oak barriques, this is a focused, fruit driven wine that has spent six months on lees to add complexity. Beautifully balanced, it has great length, terrific acid on the finish and will cellar well over the next five years

by James Halliday - Australian Wine Companion 2013 on

94 Points & Outstanding - ...Vat 47 has always been a role model, keeping one step ahead of the field. This is a supremely elegant wine in a Chablis-esque mould, and with time to go yet.