First Creek Hunter Valley Shiraz 2019

"Lambascioni" is pickled onions, and with melt-in-your-mouth lamb it's just magic. What a treat for a Sunday roast!

Cheeky and rich winter warmer. Will hold it's own against a McLaren Vale or Barossa Shiraz.

Most notable for being the first major wine region in Australia, the Hunter Valley had vines planted as early as 1789. The authorities at the time encouraged wine production, thinking that folks overindulging wine was preferable to filling up on strong spirits. Responsible Drinking back in the 1700's!

History of Hunter Valley

It was James Busby, after snapping up a chunk of the valley between Branxton and Singleton, who ushered in the region's (and in large part Australia's) presence on the world stage as a notable producer of acclaimed wines. Busby travelled throughout Europe and South Africa in 1831 collecting cuttings from over 500 vineyards, including Syrah from Hermitage in the Rhône. Many of these were planted in the Hunter, and notables like George Wyndham (Wyndham Estate) used cuttings from Busby's Kirkton vineyards. By 1876 there were approximately 1800 vines in the Hunter, and vineyards were growing

Shiraz (which is essentially Syrah) is a dark-skinned grape grown throughout the world and used primarily to produce powerful red wines.

Wines made from Syrah are often powerfully flavoured and full-bodied. The variety produces wines with a wide range of flavor notes, depending on the climate and soils where it is grown, as well as other viticultural practices chosen. Aroma characters can range from violets to berries (usually dark as opposed to red), chocolate, espresso and black pepper. No one aroma can be called "typical" though blackberry and pepper are often noticed. With time in the bottle these "primary" notes are moderated and then supplemented with earthy or savory "tertiary" notes such as leather and truffle.

"Secondary" flavor and aroma notes are those associated with several things, generally winemakers' practices (such as oak barrel and yeast regimes).

History

It is called Syrah in its country of origin, France, as well as in the rest of Europe,