Place of Changing Winds Tradition Red 2022

An homage to the late, great Maurice O’Shea who famously blended Pinot Noir and Shiraz. And so this is, 60% Syrah coming off Harcourt and Heathcote, and Pinot Noir from the estate vineyard in Macedon. Notes of licorice, five spice, blackberry, blueberry, sweet cherry, chocolate, clove, cumin, fresh herbs and potpourri. Even flow, the fruit so bright and intense, a wine that smiles, and you can’t but help smile with it. Very complex, detailed and joyous, the sheer power of flavour is incredible, but there’s that signature of line, flow and control. Serious wine for those of us greedy for life. Waters Wine Co

There’s a lot to consider and enjoy with this blend. A wonderful garnet-purple hue; aromatic with pepper and spice, charry oak and plums. Fuller bodied but, in a way, not a weighty wine as there’s such a brightness of fruit and a general vivacity throughout. Loads of tannins, textural and drying, with a hint of green walnut, yet all guided by tangy acidity en route to a fresh finish. And what to consider? The best food match. 95 points – Halliday Wine Companion

Made only in suitable years, this wine is inspired by the era-defining Syrah/Pinot blends crafted by Hunter legend Maurice O’Shea in the 1940s and ’50s. This release is a blend of 40% Pinot from estate vines and 60% Syrah from Heathcote and Harcourt. It spent the first year in a mix of large and small oak barrels, mostly neutral, with the last phase of aging in steel tank and 600-litre Stockinger cask. It was bottled at the end of November 2023. The result is a bright, perfumed, juicy wine. Although delicious now, it will certainly age well.

Alcohol: 13.5%. Closure: Diam 30.

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