"SENSATIONAL", "10 out of 10", a rare vintage with both reds and whites of "stunning" quality - that is vignerons' verdict as the 2023 Hunter Valley wine grape harvest finished at the weekend.
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It seemed an impossible outcome back in November when Tyrrell's chief Bruce Tyrrell expected just an average vintage because of almost two and half years of rain and waterlogged soil in vineyards. Fortune turned as vintage approached with sunny days and drying winds and a return of backpackers and grey nomads to the hand-picking workforce.
Bruce Tyrrell was able to assemble a team of 80 mostly young Europeans and Brokenwood senior winemaker Stuart Hordern had a full complement of backpackers, casual pickers and, for the first time since before the COVID pandemic, volunteers from Brokenwood wine club. The Brokenwood vintage workers continued the tradition of marking vintage's end at Get Your Hands Dirty Day by jumping in a vat of grapes and foot-crushing them.
Stuart and his team finished their Hunter vintage on February 25 and he forecast 2023 reds being "the best since 2019", although January hail had cut grape tonnages by 30 per cent.
Tyrrell's production director Chris Tyrrell also had rave reviews for his reds, although a January 4 hail storm reduced tonnage by 50 per cent.
"The crop we got was amazing quality - in the territory of 2007, 2014 and 2017," he said.
Whites were of higher alcohol and with good acid with chardonnay the best of the varieties and semillon of above-average quality.
Wine Magazine's 2022 Australian Viticulturist of the Year Liz Riley said 2023 had produced fruit of "stunning" quality. Roseworthy applied wine science graduate Liz runs her own Vitbit vineyard consultancy, is Scarborough Wines' viticulturist and manages 26 vineyards.
"It's rare for the Hunter but 2023 is a stunning vintage for both reds and whites," Liz told me.
"Tonnage is below average but the harvest will produce beautiful wines of clarity, purity and balance."
Margan Wines chief Andrew Margan rated his vintage "sensational", "10 out of 10" and "unbelievable".
Whites showed great strength and character and red were "outstanding", he said.
Mechanical harvesters brought in 20% of the harvest, with a full hand-picking squad accounting for the balance.
Three Hunter Valley wines to try under $50
ROSÉ REFRESHMENT
THIS merlot-based First Creek 2022 Limited Release Hunter Rosé won the 2022 NSW Wine Awards' best light red/rosé trophy and is pale salmon pink and has rose petal scents and fresh strawberry front-palate flavour. The middle displays blueberry, apple and spice and a finish of flinty acid. At firstcreekwines.com.au and the Pokolbin winery.
PRICE: $30.
DRINK WITH: antipasto.
AGEING: drink now.
RATING: 5 stars (out of 6)
BIG LITTLE GEM RED
WITH 14.7% alcohol and inky purple hues, The Little Wine Co 2018 Little Gem Shiraz has bouquet garni aromas and plush, ripe plum front-palate flavour. The middle palate features mulberry, dried cranberry, spice and savoury oak and minty tannins at the finish. At the Wine House in McDonalds Rd, Pokolbin, or thelittlewinecompany.com.au.
PRICE: $45.
DRINK WITH: osso bucco.
AGEING: eight years.
RATING: 5 stars
OFF-MAINSTREAM MIX
AN UNUSUAL varietal mix, the Greenway 2022 Grace Gewurztraminer-Fiano is green-tinted straw and has passionfruit aromas and zingy gooseberry front-palate flavour. Lychee, lime zest, herb and mineral characters show on the middle palate and slatey acid plays at the finish. At greenwaywines.com.au and the 350 Wollombi Road, Broke, cellar door.
PRICE: $26.
DRINK WITH: tapas.
AGEING: three years.
RATING: 4.5 stars
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