An entry level wine for Meerea Park, and a blend of 80% Hilltops fruit and 20% Hunter Valley fruit. Good strong red in colour. Bright red cherries, plums, raspberries, clean earth and a touch of spice. Medium weight, just, red fruits and a soft peppery spice. Unobtrusive tannins and solid value. Sealed under screwcap. 14.0% abv. 87 points. Drink 2012-2015

Ooh er I like this one. Not finding enough time for reviews, but at least this one didn’t get consigned to Odds & Ends. Floral and earthy, dry spices, pepper, a little dusty too. Red fruited, cherries, a touch of caramel nuts & creamy on the finish. Medium to lightly bodied. Great balance; like Nadia Comăneci. Lingers with dry peppery goodness. Seems a bit reduced on the finish, perhaps. $40 RRP, but less if you’re smart and are one of their club members. Drink 2015+. 90 points.

Not a warm day in Brisbane yesterday, but I really felt like a Semillon. This wine was made with fruit from the ‘Braemore’ vineyard, which is situated on a sand flat along Hermitage Road in Pokolbin. Dry grown vines that yielded 1.5 tonnes per acre.

Some colour, a pale yellow, with a hint of green. The nose that showed lemons with some gloss, dry grass and biscuit crumbs. The palate was clean and pure, relatively generous; not steely or seering. Lots of lemons, minerals and a slatey dryness. Finished with crisp acidity and more minerals. 11.0% abv. RRP $35. Drink 2011-2018+. 93 points.

Other vintages: 1999, 2003, 2004

Previously, in July 2009 (with some gumph removed):

A clear red in colour, with quite a rustic nose, new leather, red cherries, dirty fruits and a touch of volatility. The palate is lightly bodied and a bit stinky, with cherries, leather, woody spices and a touch of the old gym socks. The fruit is ripe, but not overly so, and the finish nicely drying. Might be in a bit of a hole at the moment, and would certainly benefit from a decent decant. 88 Points

And then June 2011:

Getting stinkier. And I think 88 points is generous now. About 84 now.

And now:

A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Petit Verdot, 11% Shiraz and 8% Merlot. Actually, this bit hasn’t changed. A little varnishy and stinky, red currants and old leather; it seems to clean up with a swirl in the glass.. bottle stink perhaps? Well no, because it’s still there 4 hours later. It’s a shame because it does at times show quite a beautiful perfume. The palate is medium bodied and elegant, red fruits, old leather, a green mulch character and stalk, a bit twiggy, with a distracting shoe polish and menthol streak. A dry astringent finish with raspberry-like bright acidity. An okay drink I suppose. 85 points.

A single vineyard wine from the Old Hillside Vineyard in Pokolbin. Matured in French oak for fifteen months with 30% in 225L barriques and 70% in newer 2700L casks. Bright cherries and raspberries on the nose, with spice and a touch of pepper. Medium bodied, with juicy fruits, fine tannins and some striking acid too. Reminded me a bit of the Meerea Park Shiraz just reviewed (see below), though this wine is more of a summertime Shiraz, not having the same amount of stuffing. $25.60 from Dan Murphys in any six bottle purchase. Sealed under screwcap. 90 points. 13.0 abv. Drink 2012-2019+

This wine is one of my year-in year-out favourites, and it continues to impress. Made with fruit from the “Ivanhoe” vineyard in Pokolbin. Average vine age is 40 years. Crushed with 30% stems retained and matured in French oak barriques (40% new). A bit sulfury on opening. Bright cherries and plums, exotic spices, vanilla and a touch of earthy savouriness. The palate showed a lovely balance, plums and cherries again, spices and some creamy nutmeg softness. Fine tannins and medium bodied, but with some acid sticking out at the moment. Can be enjoyed now, but I would put it away for 5 years. Winery sample from Meerea Park. Drink 2016+. 13.0% abv. 93 points.

A Hunter Shiraz co-fermented with 3% Viognier in 2 tonne open vats. Matured in 70% 1 year-old and 30% new French oak barriques 19 months.

Quite a lifted and bright nose: briary fruits, vanilla, almost honeycomb, liquorice, and with time, some old pepper and a touch of apricot. The palate shows a lovely texture, red cherries and plums, earth and spice, some white fleshy fruits, savoury more than sweet, finishing with drying cinnamon spice. Medium bodied, with firm but fine tannins. Currently $55 from the cellar door, but less if you buy lots. 14% abv. Sealed under screwcap. 91 points. Drink 2011-2017

2007 was a good year in the Hunter for reds. A blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 14% Petit Verdot. Opened for 4 hours before tasting. Colour-wise, a black core with red edges. Smell-wise, black fruits, cola, cedar, vanilla, herbs and a touch of sarsaparilla. Young. Taste-wise, currants and raspberries, earth and spice, cloves, cedar, savoury fruits with a drying edge. Smooth with good tannins. A touch of something tinny or metallic on the finish, but only a smidge. Lovely drinking now and should do 10 years plus, as is typical for the marque. Sealed under cork. $55. 13% abv. Drink 2010-2017+. 92 points.