Red

The Family Collection

2018 The Doctor Shiraz

This wine is named in honour of my father, Dr. Harold William Tulloch.

Whilst Harry is a renowned viticulturalist and PhD, the word Doctor actually originates from the Latin word Docere - "to teach". In so many ways throughout my life, Harry has been my teacher. 

In exceptional red vintages, I taste through the best barrels of Hunter Valley Shiraz with Harry. His favourite barrels are kept aside, blended and bottled in extremely limited quantities. In a way, this wine is more his taste than mine - a bold, rich expression of Hunter Shiraz more atuned to the old school than the new school, but brimming with quality. 

Tasting Note

The aromatic expression is matched precisely on the palate, tense and latent, yet delivering opulent richness from start to finish.

Flavours are phenomenally energetic and long, multi-layered with black cherry, cola, and liquorice, brightened with hints of juniper and cranberry, astride a foundation of full deluxe oak-spiciness with plush balance.

This is definitely a wine to watch. It has the inky intensity and balance to cellar for more than a decade, if not two.

Limited release only 155 dozen made                                                                           

96 Points Wine Companion

Technical Data

Alcohol 14.6%

pH 3.38

FIELD OF MARS - Single Vineyard Range                            

Field of Mars Block 1 Shiraz 2021

Variety:     100% Shiraz

Region:      Pokolbin Hunter Valley

Vineyard:   Field of Mars Vineyard

Vine Age:   Vines planted in 1968

Soils:         Dark cracking clay

Tasting Note

Block 1 Shiraz on Hermitage Road was planted in 1968 on 0.75 hectares of dark, fertile cracking clay soil. This terroir delivers a balanced and concentrated Hunter Valley Shiraz, with a core of dense black fruit that will allow many years of cellaring.

The black-fruit aromas of firm black cherry over a cola-like darkness, herb tinged, with bright supporting notes of black olive and peppercorn plus a dusting of juniper. Deluxe oak aromas sit further in the background, bringing deeper fragrances of tobacco and fine black tea.

The palate follows with the same deep black-cherry and a vibrant dark-streak of cola, with subtle waves of liquorice, anise and black chocolate. Flavours of black olive and juniper unite on the mid-palate, building a fine-grainy dryness and savory lift. Tannins are inky yet gentle with subtle oak-spice from a single 1500litre foudre, generating lovely balance, harmony, and grip on the finish.

Decant if drinking before 2027.

Drink: Now – 2040+

Limited edition - only 161 dozen made

96 points Wine Companion

Technical Data

Alc: 13.0

pH:  3.55

TA:  6.3

2021 Hunter Valley Shiraz Viognier

Variety:     Shiraz (95%) | Viognier (5%)
Region:     Hunter Valley
Vine Age:  40+ years old

Tasting Notes

This mild growing season created classically elegant Hunter Valley reds; soft and immediately attractive. The colour carries an intense red-blue with violet hue, the aromas are a melange of black cherry and orange blossom. On the palate the fruit carries blackberry, cola and Turkish delight underpinned by a velvet creaminess and chocolatey roundness - the magic of Shiraz-Viognier co-fermentation.

Drink: Now to 2030

Technical Data

Alcohol 13%

Variety: 100% Shiraz

Region: Hunter Valley

Tasting Note

This is an elegant light dry red that embodies the historic 'HRB' style of the Hunter Valley wine region; this is a wine that is fresh and ready to enjoy, delightfully supple and juicy.

The nose fills with subtle cinnamon spice, lavender and rose petal, carrying onto the palate to add delicate layers over the lip-smacking red cherry flavour. Its deliciously approachable and easy to enjoy.

You can pour at room temperature or even chilled to enjoy with good food and company.

Drink: Now

Food Match: Pizza, BBQ, Pasta

The Family Collection

2022 The Kester Shiraz

Variety:     Shiraz (100%) 
Region:     Hunter Valley

Tasting Note

The Kester Shiraz showcases the best of the best from the Hunter Valley’s 2022 Shiraz harvest, capturing the region’s fruit expression in Keith’s signature style. The Hunter Valley reds from 2022 are remarkable for their youthful charm and soft tannins, reminiscent of the great medium-bodied wines from years like 2013, 2009 and 1999. 

Primary fruit aromas of raspberry, blueberry, and cherry, plus hints of juniper and blood orange are enhanced by perfumes of pressed flowers and garden herb, developing into a finer-leaf bouquet of lavender and fresh clove.

The palate has gentle blue and black fruit roundness, with full concentration yet pastille-like elegance, framed by lovely pure fruit focus and attractive lift, delivering a seamless velvety texture. The finish is deliciously long with whole-bunch energy and harmony, providing fine sappy hints of red-briar berry and pomegranate.

The Kester is matured only in large French oak Foudre, which gives a superb gentle spiciness with fine detail, plus sandy and subtle tannins with the polish of fine mocha and soft chocolate.

These fine red wines hold remarkably well and improve greatly with 3 to 7 years in the cellar, with best drinking from 2029 to 2033.

Decanting is always recommended if drinking within 5 years of Vintage.

Drink: Now to 2040+

96points Wine Companion    

Top 100 Wines in Australia Wine Companion

Technical Data

Alcohol: 14%
pH: 3.55

Single Vineyard Range

2022 WCD Shiraz

Variety:     Shiraz (100%) 
Region:     Hunter Valley

Vineyard:  WCD Vineyard

This fruit comes from a vineyard located less than 14km from our cellar door, on Wine Country Drive in central Pokolbin. This site enjoys balanced weather influences, gifting the site with slightly cooler Summer days with slightly more Easterly breeze. Soils are deep brown clays with flecks of red ironstone.

The Shiraz fruit from here has imposing ripeness yet also expresses a tinge of dark spice and ferrous savouriness, something of a classic hallmark for Hunter reds.

The aromas express dense blackfruit compote, mixing the freshness of black cherry and blood plum in even unity, plus deeper aromatic swirls of rotundone, juniper, and black Ceylon tea; on the palate, Ripe Shiraz fruit again delivers a rich seamless balance of plum and cherry, soft already onto a long finish. This inky blackfruit core is harmonised with notes of fine oak spice and cedar, and the finish delivers equally harmonious hints of graphite and black chocolate laced with licorice.

The WCD Shiraz is a charmer with bold expression yet refined soft tannins. 3 to 5 years in the cellar would be ideal, or if drinking before then decant for early reward.

Drink: Now to 2032

Only 157 dozen made

95 points Wine Companion

Technical Data

Alc 13.5%

Single Vineyard Range

2023 Norlana Vineyard Shiraz

Variety:     100% Shiraz

Region:     Upper Hunter Valley

Vineyard:  Norlana Vineyard  

Tasting Note

Norlana is an outstanding vineyard just outside Denman in the Upper Hunter Valley, on a gentle hillside overlooking the confluence of the Goulburn and Hunter Rivers. The soil is a rich black clay flecked with iron-stone and red gravel, generating a perfumed style of Hunter Shiraz.
A swirl of lovely aromas open with concentrated inky black cherry, a delicious mix of cassis, kirsch and mineral, richly scented with floral touches of mulberry and violets.
Glossy mouth-filling flavours, tightly wound with delicious intensity, dark stone-fruit combining beautifully with notes of briar, eucalypt and white pepper. Powerful yet gentle tannins, tongue staining and central, flow around the primary Shiraz core with the softness and density of dark chocolate.
12 months in a large format 1500 litre French oak barrel combines the fruit and oak to deliver a seamless harmony, intense and deep like fine espresso coffee, with lasting notes of sandalwood, bay leaf and peppery licorice.

It greatly rewards decanting, 1 hour before drinking. Afterwards, this wine is amazing.

Drink: Now – 2035

Limited Edition – only 162 dozen made

 Technical Data

Alcohol: 13.0%

pH: 3.52

TA: 6.0

2023 PERDIEM 'Recolo' Rose

Variety:   Shiraz, Viognier, Semillon
Region:   Hunter Valley

Tasting Notes

Recolo ( Verb - latin) : 'I remember'

This fresh, inviting Rosé is worth remembering. First, there are the aromas, like crushed raspberries and rosewater; the flavours that follow are racy blood orange zest, cherry, pomegranate and watermelon. To finish there's a bead of red-grape texture and crunchy pink lady apple, enough to remind you that you're drinking a crisp, dry Rosé. 

Pop in the fridge or ice bucket immediately and serve chilled. Drink tonight with good food and company.

Drink: Now.
Food Match: Chicken, pork belly, and salads.

Technical Data

Alcohol: 12.5%
pH: 3.3

Single Vineyard Range

2023 Tawarri Vineyard Shiraz

Variety:     100% Shiraz

Region:     Upper Hunter Valley

Vineyard:  Tawarri Vineyard 

Tasting Note

A unique vineyard in the Hunter Valley at 460m above sea level, with fertile black earth soils and rich basalt, characterised by cool Summer nights and even a dusting of snow through the Winter months. The Shiraz vines are 28 years old producing fruit with ripe black flavours of impressive density.
A twinning of black and red fruits delivers aromas of lush blackberry with flashes of plum and raspberry. The cooler climate fresh eucalyptus and wild bramble notes of mint leaf and fresh aniseed add to the perfumed core of opulent black fruits.
The same concentration rules the palate from start to a very long finish: supple and velvety, energetic and fresh, with a combination of power and elegance. The abundant black fruits anchor the palate, blackberry and licorice, with a finer tannin foundation already satin soft and supple yet beautifully nuanced from 12 months in a large format French oak barrel, accenting notes of vanilla and cinnamon.

I recommend decanting, particularly until the 5th year in bottle, to amplify the Tawarri-site accents to their max.

Drink: Now – 2035

Limited Edition – only 193 dozen made

Technical Data

Alcohol: 13.5%

pH: 3.5

TA: 6.3