Hewitson 1853 Shiraz Mourvedre Blend 2018

One barrel each of 1853-vine Shiraz and 1853-vine Old Garden Mourvedre, blended. 20% whole bunches, three weeks on skins, all 'freshly seasoned' French oak. This wine will be added to Australia's Most Expensive Wines list.

It's a plump red wine, plush, made to feel ripe and round in the mouth. Cuddly is the word I'm looking for. There are saltbush, graphite, twig and game notes but the overwhelming impression is one of sweet, raisined, dense fruit flavour. It rolls through the mouth like a beach ball: soft, easy and big. It's an easy wine to be impressed by. There's also quite a deal of resiny oak, which both comes with the territory and is well integrated with the fruit, though given that the fruit here is precious it would have been good to see it less encumbered. The finish, for all the plump sweetness of the palate, is taut and dry, almost too dry. In all it's a very good wine, though the finish will need to soften for it to really elevate. Drink 2022-2029+ 93+ Points. Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front