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#hunter-valley
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Usher Tinkler Death By Semillon 2024
Forget everything you think you know about Semillon because this Death By Semillon from Usher Tinkler happily tears up the rule book. Funky, confident and packed with swagger, it's the sort of wine you should be asking for in the coolest bars from Fitzroy to Surry Hills and Brisbane's Fortitude Valley. Ginger beer, elderflower and yellow flowers jump from the glass, joined by a delightfully edgey, light cheese note that somehow just works. Green mango, dehydrated pineapple, lemon juice and lemon rind keep things vibrant, while sheets of green tea-like texture bring plenty of intrigue. Don't serve it too cold or you'll miss the layers that make this so compelling. Boundary pushing yet thoughtfully composed, this is an effortlessly trendy Semillon with serious personality. The cool kids will be all over it and for good reason. 93/100 Region: Hunter Valley RRP: $33 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram ,&nb
by noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)18 views30-402490-94ptshunter-valleysemillon - news
Cael's Gate Samuel Tempranillo 2025
From the Broke Fordwich subregion of the Hunter Valley, this Tempranillo from Cael's Gate arrives with plenty of intent. Blackberry fruit and blackberry liqueur notes sit at the core, but it's the oak that protrudes powerfully from the glass and blankets much of the fruit. As a result, the palate is firm and uncompromising. Powdery tannins are scattered across the palate, bringing a drying, puckering mouthfeel that tightens its grip with every sip. There’s no shortage of structure or conviction, but this is a wine that powers along like a bulldozer, flattening subtlety and leaving little room for charm to emerge. For me, Tempranillo is at its best when it balances savoury detail with juicy fruit, vitality and an easy rapport with food. This takes a different path. It dominates in a somewhat brutish fashion, commanding attention rather than inviting it. There’s certainly muscle here, but it doesn’t engage or embrace quite as much as hoped. 83/100 Region: Hunter Valley RRP:&
by noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)19 views50-15025hunter-valleytempranillo - news
Usher Tinkler Tinkemans Shiraz 2023
Off the back of the Royal Queensland Wine Show, I was known for some of my interesting (and perhaps entertaining) tasting notes. A wine of detail and complexity, this Usher Tinkler Shiraz offers plenty of interest to explore. What I see here is what I experienced in some trendy, whole bunch wines that I termed Fitzroy piss. You know the type. They're the wines that those uber-cool bars and restaurants in Melbourne's Fitzroy and Brunswick would eat up, deluxe. It's the use of whole bunches that makes the difference. This is all savoury, meaty and utterly smashable. Baked cherries and plum strudel, pan juices, cured meats, it's a wine with character and presence. But that presence doesn't steal the spotlight, it causes you to lean in and discuss. It brings curiosity with a hint of swagger and charm. Torn jeans, unshaven yet moving with grace to its own beat. That's this Shiraz. Mind you, light the fire and embrace the cool of night with the added bonus of some steaks sizzling over golden
by noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)17 views50-1502390-94ptshunter-valleyshiraz - news
Usher Tinkler Reserve Shiraz 2023
Leading with a savoury and brooding aroma profile, be sure to give this Usher Tinkler Reserve Shiraz a decant before serving. Ground coffee and mocha aromas set the tone with dark berries, ripe plums and the flicker of crunchy red apples. A fine ribbon of dark chocolate moves and sways throughout adding another level of detail. Drying, there is an unmissable rustic presence that has me hooked. Layers of woodsy spices, meat rub spices and a smoky edge build further detail to peel back. That smoky character brings a hock and char note and all I can think of from this point is a night by the fire pit with large steaks sizzling over golden coals. That cool country air, the rustic vibes and the glow of the coals would bring all these elements together in a neat power play. Great stuff. 92/100 Region: Hunter Valley RRP: $75 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
by noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)19 views50-1502390-94ptshunter-valleyshiraz - news
Cael's Gate Semillon 2026
A new producer to me, in comes this Hunter Valley Semillon from Cael's Gate. Fresh green apple and lemongrass aromas spill from the glass offering a welcome invitation. The longer it sits, mind you, some bruised red apple aromas appear. A fine phenolic grip glues itself to the palate, with those aromas flowing onto it. Curiously, that bruised red apple trait builds momentum through the mouth and arrests attention. A whip crack of lemon-like acidity on close cleanses the palate, but I suspect this will go better with food. 86/100 Region: Hunter Valley RRP: $38 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
by noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)17 views30-402685-89ptshunter-valleysemillon - news
Cael's Gate Verdelho 2026
From the Fordwich sub-region of the Hunter comes this Cael's Gate Verdelho. A Portuguese variety known for its tropical fruit and lift, I see it speckled with esters. Green apple and banana aromas take flight. Crisp to taste, it's a Verdelho that plants itself on that green apple spectrum, which is not entirely varietal. The lemon-like acidity has a pinch and the palate is clipped and doesn't flow through as much as hoped. I'd prefer others. 84/100 Region: Hunter Valley RRP: $38 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
by noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)18 views30-4026hunter-valleyverdelho - news
Usher Tinkler Devil's Kitchen Pinot Noir 2025
Quite a different wine to the captivating and utterly delicious 2024 release , this Devil's Kitchen Pinot Noir from Usher Tinkler took me aback on opening. Joyous and juicy were the buzzwords with the 2024, but here I felt it was ripe and stewed on opening. I parked it and returned a day later, only to reveal it had taken quite a turn for the better. Perhaps there was some pent-up tension that needed release? Scents of rose hip and dried red petals skipped out with a plummy and dark cherry frame. Delightfully medium-bodied, some meaty things lurk within too - think pan juices and charcuterie. Finely textured with sandy-like tannins, recline by the fire pit and you're set. 90/100 Region: Hunter Valley RRP: $55 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
by noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)19 views50-1502590-94ptshunter-valleypinot-noir