Meerea Park, ‘The Aunts’ Shiraz 2010

Look out South Australia, here come the new styles of Hunter Valley Shiraz that have cast off their earthy coat of viticultural mouldiness and arrived clean, glammed up and ready for a rich berry-fruited party on your palate!

And the guest of honour on this occasion is the Meerea Park 2010 ‘The Aunts’ Shiraz. Made by winemaker Rhys Eather, the current release of this rising star varietal of the Hunter region is a lively crimson colour in the glass and offers a touch of jamminess on the nose. On the palate, it’s not like the old-style Hunter Shiraz, but rather shows medium weight and clean but plummy fruit perhaps courtesy of the old low yielding vines at Pokolbin from which the grapes were sourced.

But the real magic of this wine is in its gracefulness – fine tannins, good length and a modest 13.5% alcohol. At around $30 a bottle, it will do wonders for the growth of the Hunter as a genuine Shiraz producing region.