Tyrrell's Vat 8 Hunter Valley Shiraz Cabernet 2014

Murray Tyrrell created the Winemaker’s Selection range back in 1965, when, with the assistance of Len Evans, he set out to determine the best wines from each vintage. He named these wines after the casks in which they were matured; for instance, the first Chardonnay we made went into cask number 47, so it became Vat 47 Chardonnay, or Pinot Chardonnay as it was then called. In 1974, having discovered that we had up to six casks from the same vineyard block that all tasted much the same, we brought the selection down to about 12 wines in total - a mixture of whites and reds. The early 2000s saw a further consolidation with the inauguration of the Sacred Sites range and the expansion of our Single Vineyard program. Today, the Winemaker’s Selections are estate-grown on the various blocks that form the wines that we believe best represent our land and house style. These wines are only bottled in years when we believe that the quality is high enough to meet our exacting standards.

Vat 8 Shiraz Cabernet is sourced from Shiraz grown on the Tyrrell Estate ‘Ashmans’ and Cabernet Sauvignon grown on the Pokolbin Hills Estate. A modern style of Australian red that also respects the tradition of using varietal blending to create a more rounded wine. It shows intense plum fruit sweetness from the Shiraz, while the Cabernet component adds to the length and fullness, with characters of dark berry and chocolate.

"Red and black fruits, choc-licorice, but fresh, some vanilla cream. Medium bodied, smooth operator, silky tannin, polished with perfect ripeness and a ribbon of red fruit flowing into the distance. Shows some oak and offers a more seductive, come-hither style for Tyrrells, though by the standards of many other wineries in the region, it’s subdued and stylish. This is a beautiful Vat 8 that will wow and woo a great many. GARY WALSH 95+ Points"

"If you put this in the cellar the chances of you being disappointed when it reaches maturity are almost zilch. It has character and balance and, from such an excellent year, has enough fruit to keep the engine humming along, long time. A beautiful medium-weight, filigreed wine. CAMPBELL MATTINSON 95 Points"