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New South Wales and The Hunter Valley

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New South Wales

Australia's second-leading state in wine production after South Australia is the region of New South Wales.  Including the Hunter Valley, Mudgee, and Riverina, it lies 75 miles north of Australia's oldest and largest city, Sydney. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the country's earliest European settlers were actually the first to plant grapes in the Hunter Valley.  In the early 1960’s the iconic brand Penfolds moved to an area slightly north of the orig­inal vineyards, initiating the distinction between what are now known as the Upper Hunter and the Lower Hunter Valleys.

Hunter Valley

Hot and almost too humid for grapes, the whole Hunter Valley region is something of an anomaly in Australian wine terms.  Nonetheless, the Hunter Valley has its own unmistakable ace in the whole: Semillon.  Highly regarded, and wholly recognizable among the pack, the typical Hunter Valley Semillon does not appear to be much of a classic in its youth, but with age it is a proven masterpiece.  Although many remark that when young it has the appearance of being a little on the thin side, it has a striking acidity and dryness that develops into a gorgeous golden toastiness which becomes richer and more complex as it ages.  The wine is famous for turning into a honey pot of rich, nutty, buttery fruit after five to ten years. Usually unoaked and with alcohols generally on the low side, it is the high acidity of its youth keeps the wine firm as it ages.  Some producers have tinkered with the style to make it more drinkable early on, but true Hunter Semillon fans buy the wine to age, not uncommonly for at least a decade or more.  For those who just can’t wait, it is often ready to be enjoyed after about five years. Masters of the style, the big names such as McWilliam's, Tyrrell's, and Lindeman's, have examples still drinking superbly at 15 and 20 years of age.

Since 1970, Chardonnay also has proved its worth; the first Australian Chardonnay of note was made in the Hunter Valley by Tyrrell's.  These are less long-lived than the Semillons, but in the true Australian style they are generous with flavor and soft, yet substantially weighty in the glass. 

On the red side, Shiraz has been the tradition foil to Chardonnay and Semillon in the Hunter Valley.  Extremely varetially distinctive, moderately tannic, and long-lived, they are wines with earth and tar overtones.  An unfortunate reputation however has arisen with these wines, which characterizes them as having aromas of a sweaty leather saddle after a long day’s ride.  Perhaps this is a euphemistic way of proposing that they smell of crotch sweat.  Either way, many critics and winemakers alike have come to the conclusion that this is in fact a winemaking fault rather than some inherent character of the grapes grown in the region.  And so different producers will bring forth differing amounts of crotch sweat aromas, just shop around.  Take note that is has been observed also that at 20 to 30 years of age, the best acquire a silky sheen to their texture and move eerily close to resemble similarly aged Rhone wines from the south east France.

Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Noir are among prominent varieties which have been tried and found unsuited to the climate and terroir.  And overall, the Hunter Valley produces better white wines than it does red, with Semillon its one unique contribution.

Lower Hunter Valley

If one is to differentiate the Upper Hunter Valley, a separate viticultural region well to the north, from the Lower Hunter Valley, the bias towards white wine becomes more pronounced in the former.  However, the Lower Hunter Valley is wine region recognized the world over for its distinctive, archetypal Australian wine styles.  The Lower Hunter Valley finds its greatest expression in Semillon, with a style that is traditionally vinified to reveal crisp delicacy and extraordinary intensity when young, but developing into a rich, complex, honeyed wine with time.

Upper Hunter Valley

The Upper Hunter Valley is the baby in viticultural terms. It took until 1960 for a producer, namely Penfolds, to venture out of the successful Lower Hunter into this area around the farming town of Denman. However, the Upper Hunter is no longer a mere extension of its southern relative. This region has taken on a character very much its own, in particular since the arrival of Arrowfield in 1968 and Rosemount Estate in 1969. These producers showed that white wines are this region's main strength, namely butter-rich Chardonnay and soft Semillon, Both varieties share a rounded character and are full of plump, ripe fruit. For reds, the flavorsome Cabernet Sauvignon has a natural juiciness, and Shiraz, while lacking the striking individuality of the Lower Hunter version, is warm and textured.

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