Mount Pleasant (McWilliams), Maurice O'Shea Shiraz, Hunter Valley 2019 - 75cl

Maurice O'Shea more or less put Hunter Valley Shiraz on the map, and Mount Pleasant named their flagship red after him for good reason. This is the top cuvée, drawn from the estate's oldest and best blocks, and it is a lesson in why the Hunter does Shiraz unlike anywhere else in Australia.

Forget the big, jammy Barossa style. Hunter Shiraz is medium-bodied and earthy — closer in spirit to the northern Rhône, or even old Burgundy, than to blockbuster Australia. The 2019 gives you red plum and cherry rather than black fruit, wrapped in leather, dried herbs, warm earth and a gentle savoury spice. Older French oak shapes it quietly in the background. What really marks it out is the texture: silky, fine-boned, almost weightless for a wine with this much going on, with soft tannins and a long, savoury finish.

It flatters food and rewards patience. Lovely now, and it will grow more complex and gamey over the next ten to fifteen years — a classic Hunter trait.

How to Serve

Serve at 16–18°C. A short decant of half an hour is plenty; this is about finesse, not force.

Where to Drink It

Somewhere that respects a subtler red — Noble Rot for the wine crowd, or The River Cafe, whose Italian kitchen loves a savoury Shiraz.

Food Pairings

Roast duck, game birds, or mushroom-heavy dishes bring out its earthy side. Also gorgeous with a simple herb-roasted chicken.