Bests Hamill Shiraz 2019
We all know the Best's story - iconic, old vine, family owned and quite frankly one the great wine producers of Australia and, in my view, the whole wine world. Not only that, the Thomson family seem to do it all without fuss and marketing razzamatazz and in its place is a quite confidence in the remarkable raw product that underpins their remarkable stable of wines.
So, when they decide to release a new shiraz to run alongside their Bin 1 and Bin 0, it's cause to stop what you're doing. It's kind of a big deal and if it's not, then you've got your priorities wrong.
We only just tasted this last week and it's a ripper. It's called Hamill Shiraz - a family name that features in all the successive custodians names ever since - Bruce Hamill Thomson etc etc.
The wine comes off a vineyard purchased five years ago. The family had been taking fruit for over 20 years and loved what it delivered in terms of flavour and aromatic profiles; kind of same, same but something subtly different to the home blocks.
For the most part the fruit has gone into Bin 1 but after taking over the site the family started to see the material from the southern corner of the block gave them something special. Here, the soil profile runs from red fertile quartz rich soils into a sandy profile. The net effect seems to be - this is only the first release of this wine so we'll get a better idea over time - that the wine has a more lifted aromatic and elegant profile. It's unmistakably Bests with core of red and black fruit, a dusting of "bush track spice", wafty florals, licorice strap and vanillin slide into the mix as well. It's "relaxed" and composed and with a structure stitched into the hems of the wines giving the impression this will age very well.
There's not much around so jump in if you're wanting your piece of vinous history jump to it.
Cheers
Michael
So, when they decide to release a new shiraz to run alongside their Bin 1 and Bin 0, it's cause to stop what you're doing. It's kind of a big deal and if it's not, then you've got your priorities wrong.
We only just tasted this last week and it's a ripper. It's called Hamill Shiraz - a family name that features in all the successive custodians names ever since - Bruce Hamill Thomson etc etc.
The wine comes off a vineyard purchased five years ago. The family had been taking fruit for over 20 years and loved what it delivered in terms of flavour and aromatic profiles; kind of same, same but something subtly different to the home blocks.
For the most part the fruit has gone into Bin 1 but after taking over the site the family started to see the material from the southern corner of the block gave them something special. Here, the soil profile runs from red fertile quartz rich soils into a sandy profile. The net effect seems to be - this is only the first release of this wine so we'll get a better idea over time - that the wine has a more lifted aromatic and elegant profile. It's unmistakably Bests with core of red and black fruit, a dusting of "bush track spice", wafty florals, licorice strap and vanillin slide into the mix as well. It's "relaxed" and composed and with a structure stitched into the hems of the wines giving the impression this will age very well.
There's not much around so jump in if you're wanting your piece of vinous history jump to it.
Cheers
Michael