Imbibe Easter 2014

Early start, early finish.

Hunter Valley Resort

ABN 89 003 384 307
Hermitage Road
Pokolbin NSW 2320
P: 02 49987777 ext 5
F: 02 49987787
wines@HunterResort.com.au
www.HunterResort.com.au

Forget about other wine regions, 2014 Vintage in the Hunter is one
of the best harvests weve seen in decades. January 7 th Vintage
officially started with a number of wineries around the region
beginning to pick chardonnay for their sparkling wines. A week
later it was the rest of the Hunters turn, as vintage 2014 slipped
into overdrive.
The high temperatures during the day coupled with the low
humidity and relatively cool nights has ensured that the quality and
ripeness of the fruit is outstanding for both whites and reds. So we
should start seeing our lighter bodied whites (Semillon & Verdelho)

A Barrel of Fun
Wine historians tell us that the use of wooden wine barrels has been an
important aspect of wine making for thousands of years. In fact, there is
much evidence of the Gauls and Romans using barrels well over 2
thousand years ago. The use of oak barrels has a marked effect on the
final outcome of wine making as the wine will absorb colour , flavours
and tannins from the wood. In addition, wooden barrels breath
allowing for a light aeration of the wine, resulting in a finished product
that appears softer and more rounded.
Australian winemakers typically use either French or American oak with
red wine spending up to two years in barrels. Most white wines in the
Hunter are fermented and matured in stainless steel tanks with
wooded Chardonnay being the main exception.
The type of oak and age of the barrels also varies the finish of the wine
and there has long been debate as to which form of oak is the better.
Generally speaking, wine stored in new American oak will typically
exhibit more intense flavours whereas the effect of French oak tends to
be more subtle and restrained.
It is not uncommon for wine
makers to use a combination
of both French and American
oak in the wine maturation
process. A happy compromise!!!
Perhaps we should leave this
debate to the winemakers and
simply enjoy the finished product...

Whites

2013 Majors Lane Semillon

Made by Andrew Thomas.

2013 - Thomas Two of a Kind

Semillon Sauvignon Blanc

This wine has superb acid structure

that gives it crisp bright citrus
flavours over the whole pallet.
Whilst drinking beautifully now, if
you have some willpower, this wine
has the potential to cellar for the
next 15-20 years. Food match-:
Prawn and avocado salad.

The delicate citrus characters of

the Hunter Semillon provide the
structural backbone to the wine,
while the Sauvignon Blanc adds a
tropi cal fru it richness and
complexity. The result is an
attractive, uncomplicated fresh and
vibrant style - perfect for a lazy
sunny afternoon.

Hel Family Reserve

Valley Chardonnay 2013

2013 Polin and Polin Verdelho:

Hunter

Hasnt this settled into a lovely

young Chardy! Grapefruit and a hint
of vanilla on the nose. Rich
rockmellon on the mid-palate,
finishing with delicate citric acidity.
This is Chardonnay made for
seafood. Serve with a rich seafood
bisque or Bouillabaisse.

2013 Margan Family Semillon

This wine has great complexity. It
displays some tropical fruit flavours
on the mid pallet, with an excellent
balance of citrus and lemongrass
that gets the saliva glands working
up the sides of the mouth, giving it
beautiful finish. Halliday rating 94
points. Food match-: Have a
Semillon & Seafood festival in your
own home.

This is perfect example of why

some of the best verdelho in the
country is grown and in the Hunter.
It has plenty of complex flavours.
Tropical fruit up the mid pallet and
citrus flavors up the sides of the
mouth. Matches with shellfish and
chicken. Enjoy within the next few
years.

David Hook Hunter Valley Pinot

Grigio 2013
A perennial favorite, the 2013 is
bright, fresh and flinty with a light
scent of Nashi. As the nose opens
up, spicy notes of cinnimon and
clove emerge. On the palate is a
burst of ripe pear with tart
mandarine. It finishes with crisp
Granny Smith acidity. Perfect with
a range of food, serve with canaps
at your next party.

Reds

Majors Lane Wines A Few Rows 2012 - Thomas Two Of A Kind Shiraz
Chambourcin 2013
Just when we thought we had A lovely blend of 38% Hunter Valley
tasted all the best wine in the and 62% McLaren Vale shiraz. The
wines are fermented separately, then
Hunter, along comes Majors Lane!
blended after pressing then matured
Very complex for Chambourcin, the for 2 years. The earthy flavours of
wine is bright, deep ruby-purple. the Hunter Valley immersed with the
Pomegranate with a hint of rich fruity plum of the McLaren Vale
cardamom and dark chocolate on makes most enjoyable wine. Has a
the nose. Cherry and brambly fruits bold yet silky finish perfect on a cold
dominate a full, round palate. night in front of the fire. Served with
a roast venison with a blueberry jus
Finishes light and soft with
or a beef burgundy pie .
impressive length on the midpalate. Perfect on a warm autumn
afternoon with barbequed spare
ribs mopped with a smoky sauce.
2012 Margan Family Cabernet
Sauvignon: This wine has a bright
red/purple colour. Uplifting
aromas of blackcurrant, liquorice,
spice and vanilla are apparent
along with a cigar box type
character brought about by the
use of new American oak. The
tannins are tight as a young wine
is but will develop silkiness as the
wine ages. This is a full-bodied
wine which makes it great with
food. Enjoy over the next 7-10
years.

2012 Hel Family Reserve Shiraz:

2012 - San Martino Cabernet

Merlot

Majors Lane Wines Peppercorn

Block Shiraz 2011
How many times have we extolled
the virtues of the 2011 red vintage?
Rich ruby colour. Aroma of allspice
and blueberry with hints of
raspberry lollies. A fresh berry fruit
salad with blaccurrent dominant on
the palate. Finishes leaving mild
cranberry tannin persistant on the
mid-back palate. Mild black
pepper. Serve with beef and
mushroom casserole.

The First San Martino blended

varietal for 19 years. The
cabernet gives the wine good
tannin that gets around the
outside of the pallet. Whilst the
fruit in the merlot goes right
through the middle. Goes well
with lamb or anything fatty.
Cellar for 10 years

Dark plum in colour this wine is

displaying aromas of blackberry,
Violets and spice. The palate is rich
with excellent depth of berry fruits,
Spice and typical Hunter earthiness.
Balanced with subtle oak this wine is
drinking well now and the firm tannin
structure will ensure this Shiraz will
develop further over the next 7-10
years.

For reservations, please go to www.hunterresort.com.au

or call one of our friendly reservation team on 02 49987777
Remember to mention you are an Imbibe Member to receive
your special 10% discount on the above packages...

For reservations, please go to www.hunterresort.com.au

or call one of our friendly reservation team on 02 49987777
Remember to mention you are an Imbibe Member to receive
your special 10% discount on the above packages...

To Breathe or Not to Breathe...

First of all let us be clear. We are talking about the drink not the drinker! Responsible
service of alcohol dictates that we advocate that imbibers continue to breathe
throughout the drinking session.
Most wine novices may well believe that concepts like letting the wine breathe are
nonsense that wine connoisseurs just make up. Traditionally, wine is opened, anywhere
from a few minutes to a few hours, before consumption in order to let it breathe.
The idea is that exposure to the air improves the taste of the wine. However, simply
opening the bottle doesnt do much because so little of the wine is actually exposed to
the air. To properly aerate wine it needs to be poured into a decanter or glasses and
let stand before it is consumed. The action of pouring the wine does most of the work.
Swirling the wine in the decanter or glass accelerates the process. There are also
several products on the market that wine is poured through to aerate it. From my
experience aerators do not do anything that a decanter does, although the aerators do
it quicker. One enthusiast even advocates putting wine in a blender! There seems to be
no doubt that aerating wine changes its aroma, flavour and texture.
However this raises the question: Does aeration improve the flavour of the wine?
Revered French oenologist mile Peynaud maintained that letting wine breathe rarely
improved the flavour of wine and it often destroys it. Jancis Robinson, one of the UKs
leading wine experts, advises against decanting wine to aerate it in The Oxford
Companion to Wine. On the other hand, when he gave a wine glass masterclass in the
Hunter Valley a few years back, Georg Riedel (CEO of the manufacturer of some of the
premier wine glassware in the world, including decanters) noted that many young wines
were improved by aeration, even whites. He continued by stating, lest his advocacy of
decanting seem self-interested, that you dont need to invest in one of his expensive
decanters to enjoy the benefits of aerated wine. Any vessel will do. Even an empty
wine bottle, so long as it is clean. A bit of research revealed many advocates of
aeration, but just as many sceptics. So, why so much disagreement?
I think the answer is one of the most important lessons one learns upon becoming a
wine enthusiast: not only is there enormous variety amongst wines, but also amongst
palates. Following from this is the first rule of wine pleasure: there are no rules!
Perhaps the best course of action for the inexperienced is to get advice from someone
familiar with the wine. I believe most wine benefits from some aeration. Yet finding
the correct amount, which varies from wine to wine, requires experience. Next time we
will examine the aeration process in more detail, so that you can judge for yourself the
amount of aeration desirable.

GETTING

TO THE

HUNTER

JUST GOT A LOT EASIER!

After 5 years of construction, the new $1.7 billion 40 kilometre, four-lane Hunter
Expressway (M15) opened on 22 March 2014.
This means once you enter the (M1) Motorway at Wahroonga heading north, it is now
motorway all the way to our Hermitage Road we are now the third Hunter Valley
exit off the (M15) Hunter Expressway. Now you continue past the old Freemans
Waterhole/Cessnock exit (B82). The new (M15) Hunter Expressway joins the (M1)
Motorway (Old F3 freeway) at the Newcastle Link Road Interchange. No more having to
drive through Cessnock
It truly is an amazing engineering feat too. Three high bridges (or viaducts) span the
steep gullies through the Sugarloaf Range located 1.4 to 2.7 kilometres west of the M1
motorway. The viaducts have a total length of 787 metres and are up to 47 metres in
height above the gully floors. And more than 1.6 million cubic metres of soil had to be
moved, also over 3 million cubic metres of earthworks was completed as part of its
construction.
A great new addition for the Hunter!

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Mail to: Hunter Valley Resort, Corner Hermitage Road & Mistletoe Lane, Pokolbin 2320
Email to: wines@HunterResort.com.au
Phone: 02 49987777 ext 5 Fax: 02 49987787