The Vinden Basketcase Single Vineyard Hunter Valley Shiraz 2015

Single vineyard Shiraz from Angus Vinden’s own label. A Hunter Valley ‘name to watch’.

This red comes from the Somerset Vineyard, cold soaked, then fermented cool in open concrete vats. Hand plunged and matured in 25% new oak.

Soft and plummy with a hint of dried red fruit and plenty of red earth. Hunter through and through. Gently ripe, squishy red fruit, a dash of chocolate oak and raspberry, all in a laidback, low acid Hunter style. Surprising warmth but lots of generous charm, with plenty of  ripe, curranty fruit.

I had a ’91 Tyrrell’s Brokenback Shiraz recently that reminded me of this (and it was still looking good at 25). For now it’s a pleasurable, gently savoury – yet still ripe and generous – Hunter Shiraz that will get more interesting as the fruit sweetness settles in with more bottle age.

Best drinking: 2020-2035. 17.5/20, 91/100+. 13.8%, $30. Would I buy it? A glass or two would go down easily.