Production
This is around 70% Syrah and 30% Pinot Noir …. Not the commonest of blends maybe but something that has a long history in the Hunter Valley. Alisdair works all his vineyards very much by hand. No formal certification but fully sustainable. He manages the Pruning, shoot thinning, yields and orientation of the rows in the newer vineyards so as to give quite low yields of healthy, phenolically ripe, fruit at relatively low alcohols (in Australian and Hunter terms). He’s keen on a bit of whole bunch and he’s not keen on big dollops of new oak … he looks for vineyard expression in his wines.
Tasting notes
The name is a bit of a misnomer maybe … it’s certainly no skinny Loire valley Lookey-Likey … but it is fine, nicely lithe and definitely not ‘chunky’ either. I’m not sure how to describe the flavours, it’s a delicious red wine. There’s a little bit of pepperiness from the Syrah but it’s not exaggerated. It’s got a nice character in that it’s distinctly ‘grown-up’ but at the same time it’s super approachable and drinkable. The wine gently improves with aeration, the second glass being just that little bit better than the first.
Food match
Last enjoyed with a particularly good meatballs and spaghetti dish.
