Hello Hunter Burgundy! Angus Vinden bottles three different single barrel selections from the Somerset Vineyard, with this The Vinden Headcase Single Barrel #1 Eastern Slope Shiraz 2022 from the Eastern side of the 1966-planted vineyard (as the name suggests. Derrrr Andrew!). Lovely purple Hunter Valley Shiraz with both a sense of lightness and still substantial ripe Hunter Valley flesh.

Ruby purple coloured, it tastes of plums and cola with a boysenberry line. A purple wine. The acidity fizzes through the palate, almost as if this comes off limestone (ed: turns out this block is red volcanic clay over limestone. The acidity doesn’t lie). Lovely boysenberry bright fruit and there’s a little Hunter new leather and briar in there too. Just 12.7%, but doesn’t feel ungenerous. You could probably underestimate the style in a big lineup, however. A Pinot drinkers Hunter Valley Shiraz.

Best drinking: good now, and likely for a decade and some. 18.5/20, 94/100. 12.7%, $60. Vinden website. Would I buy it? Sure would.