There has been a lot of activity in recent times at the Mount Pleasant winery at Pokolbin in the Hunter Valley. While many things will go unnoticed by most of us, others, such as the removal of the word McWilliam’s from the front label; new labels; new wines; and the arrival of Jim Chatto (just the fourth Chief Winemaker to be based at Mount Pleasant since Maurice O’Shea established the Hunter Valley winery in 1921), will pique our interest in this truly iconic winery.
Maurice O’Shea chose the original 40 acre property, with its rich, volcanic soils in the Parish of Pokolbin after returning from France in 1921. He was blessed with a remarkable palate and was a master blender with a tremendous ability to identify quality and longevity in young table wines – talents learnt while studying oenology at France’s Montpellier University. At the time, fortified wines dominated the local wine market and very few Australians understood or appreciated table wines.
There is much reverance given to the Maurice O’Shea name at Mount Pleasant and the legacy he left; producing red table wines of enormous flavour, intensity and longevity. So much so that the Maurice O’Shea Shiraz was created, paying testament to the spirit of the Mount Pleasant founder and legendary Hunter Valley winemaker. The result; a wine that is a benchmark Australian Shiraz and the ultimate expression of Hunter Valley winemaking.
Arguably Australia’s most influential wine publication, The James Halliday Australian Wine Companion 2015 is the number one bestselling guide to wineries and wine in Australia. And in the 2015 edition, the 2011 Maurice O’Shea Shiraz awarded the ‘Best Shiraz’.
The hue and depth is similar to that of the Old Paddock & Old Hill and Rosehill wines, and its bouquet is not radically different, but one sip and you realise that however great the OP & OH is, this wine is on another level again. Swallowing wines in a day’s tasting is a mortal sin, and I have sinned with this, so seductive and entrancing is it all achieved by a medium-bodied wine with an alcohol of only 13.7% It has utterly perfect balance, great intensity, extreme length and a magnificent lineage. 98 points. James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion 2015: The Bestselling and Definitive Guide to Australian Wine (James Halliday Australian Wine Companion)
While words like ‘challenging’ and ‘difficult’ have been widely used to describe the abnormally wet and cool 2011 in most of eastern Australia, the Hunter Valley was in many ways an exception and the 2011 wines, particularly premium Shiraz, are gaining consistent accolades by both wine lovers and the scribes.
Excellent growing conditions throughout Summer 2010 and into the New Year provided a near perfect harvest for growers. The fruit reached optimal ripeness with absolutely no disease. The fruit quality was excellent.
The Maurice O’Shea Shiraz 2011 is bright, medium depth, crimson/purple. It shows pronounced red and black fruits, with spices. Still youthful and with time will develop on this framework of black and red berry fruits and superb French oak treatment. A finely honed, fresh, classically medium bodied Shiraz from Mount Pleasant, with fine tannins, great length and textural layers. Limited quantites available at Mount Pleasant Cellar Door at $110 per bottle.
The Vintry
The Vintry is a stunning architecturally designed Country House, luxuriously appointed with the highest quality furnishings and fittings but with the feel of a traditional bush retreat. A contemporary property with 4 spacious bedrooms includes 1 king size bedroom with hydrotherapy spa bath and 3 queen size bedrooms each with its own ensuite bathroom and private deck for those times when you would like some personal time to relax.
Best Deluxe Accommodation
Hunter & Central Coast Tourism Awards Gold 2009, 2010. Silver 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012.
NSW Tourism Awards Gold 2009. Silver 2012. Finalist 2007, 2010, 2011, 2013
Qantas Australian Tourism Awards Finalist Best Deluxe Accommodation 2009