Big news at Medhurst Wines - a Yarra Valley estate I’ve been a fan of for many years. They’ve released a new wine and taken on a new winemaker, and I’m pleased to report great findings on both counts.
The new wine is an estate grown shiraz, or syrah as it’s been called, due to its elegant style. It’s the first time Medhurst has released a sub $30 shiraz, and Halliday’s Wine Companion promptly awarded it 96 points, noting, “Both the wine and the price are spot on.” I couldn’t agree more.
Talented winemaker Simon Steel left Medhurst last year after almost 10 years at the helm. With big shoes to fill, new winemaker Rohan Smith is up to the task. I’ve met and tasted with Rohan several times and he’s not only a terrific winemaker, but a nice guy to boot. Like all budding winemakers, Rohan started his studies with a bachelor of music from the Sydney Con, followed by further musical studies in London. A successful career as classical flautist and general muso ensued, until his mid 30s when the wine itch he’d had for years had to be scratched. Rohan followed his passion, completing a bachelor of wine science through Charles Sturt Uni, graduating as dux with a university medal, no less.
Rohan then relocated to the Mornington Peninsula, working in viticulture - a firm believer in the adage ‘all good wine is made in the vineyard’. He then moved on to winemaking for several wineries across the Peninsula, including Merricks and Handpicked. Rohan not only worked with the Peninsula’s varietal stalwarts, pinot noir and chardonnay, but became well-versed with cool climate Victorian shiraz. He’s made many high quality examples from some of Victoria’s best cool climate regions, most notably Heathcote and the Pyrenees. Rohan is a judge at several wine shows, including the Yarra Valley, Gippsland and Macedon shows. He’s chair of the Melbourne Royal Wine Awards Committee and chair of judges of the International Cool Climate Wine Show in Mornington. Suffice to say he knows his stuff.
When the chance to work in the Yarra as winemaker at Medhurst arose - a great winery in a great region - he jumped at it.
A question posed at a wine seminar I attended several years ago; if you could only ever drink wine from one region, which would it be, and why? It was a tough one, but my love of riesling immediately took me to Mosel. With a little more rational thought though, I countered with the Yarra Valley. With all the regions in the world to choose from, this might sound like a parochial choice, but name another region that produces benchmark chardonnay, cabernet, shiraz and pinot noir, as well as top quality sparkling wine.
Unbeknown to most drinkers, the Yarra is capable of turning out stellar examples of shiraz. I recently had lunch with a winemaker who’s a judge at many of the country’s top wine shows and she pointed out how just how well Yara Valley shiraz is represented. I checked out the results for the 2023 National Wine Show and sure enough, in the hotly contested 2033-2023 shiraz category, the equal top scoring wine was none other than a Yarra Valley shiraz.
It’s understandable why many wine drinkers overlook the Yarra for shiraz, with the region synonymous with pinot, chardonnay and cabernet. And shiraz is already closely associated with plenty of other high-profile regions like the Barossa, Hunter, McLaren Vale and Heathcote, to name just a few. It’s this oversight that I think makes Yarra shiraz a contender for one of the most undervalued wines in the country. Perfect for astute wine buyers.
Medhurst Estate
I’ve been a fan of Medhurst for a while, having visited the winery and told their story before, but let me refresh you.
Just north of the town of Gruyere, in a microclimate of their own, sit just four wineries. The two pioneers, Warramate and Yarra Yering, James Halliday’s Coldstream Hills and the relative newcomer Medhurst. Yarra Yering produces some of the best cabernet and shiraz in the country (Dry Red No.1 and Dry Red No.2) and Coldstream Hills produces some of the best pinot noir and chardonnay, so Medhurst is clearly in a great winemaking spot.
Ross and Robyn Wilson acquired Medhurst in the mid 90s, naming it after the road on which the property lies. But their connection to the area goes back much further. Robyn spent much of her childhood here and the couple were married across the road from the estate over 45 years ago.
Medhurst Estate Winery.
Ross Wilson is an energetic, larger-than-life character with a passion for surfing, sailing and cool climate reds. Ahead of his time with his deep love of elegant reds, he believed the Yarra to be one of the best places to make them. Originally from Melbourne, he put his degree in economics to good use as a surfboard shaper, before forging a highly successful corporate career. As CEO from 1987-1994 he transformed the modest packaging and brewing firm of SA Brewing into the wine industry leviathan Southcorp. Under his guidance the company became one of the largest wine companies in Australia, acquiring several of the country’s most iconic producers including Penfolds, Lindemans and Wynns. Ross put the first Yattarna together with John Duval and, not surprisingly, has an amazing collection of Penfolds in his cellar.
After his stint at Southcorp, Ross made the highly publicised move to Tabcorp in Victoria, where he was CEOfrom1994-2002. The float and subsequent stellar rise in the share price were well documented in the press.
Ross has a passion for wine as well as a genuine bond with, and access to excellent land. He has knowledge, experience and past successes and the drive, energy and enthusiasm to make it all happen, as well as two must haves in wine, a long-term vision and patience. And a third that’s aways helpful, deep enough pockets to see it all through.
In 2000, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, pinot noir, cabernet and shiraz were planted. The years at Southcorp gave Ross access to some of the best viticulturists in the country, providing expert advice on where and how to plant. There are now 35 acres of vines at Medhurst.
A new winery was built in 2010-11. It’s a highly practical, state-of-the-art building, perfect for small batch, high quality wine. The striking building seems to almost slice into the hillside, perfectly combining form and function. It won the Victorian Architectural Award for commercial design in 2012 as well as receiving a commendation from National Australian Institute of Architects in the same year. It was also shortlisted for the production/energy/recycling category of the World Architecture Festival Awards in 2013.
Ross’s strategy of patiently putting the right pieces into place for long-term success has paid off with some serious recognition. James Halliday rates Medhurst 5 stars and an incredible six of their latest release wines score 95 points and above, including this one, perhaps offering the best value of them all.
Medhust Yarra Valley Syrah 2023
Ross’ house overlooks the steep and spectacular shiraz vineyard on which the fruit for this wine is grown. It’s a fantastic site. The north facing slope, combined with what Rohan describes as Rhone-esque tractor rolling steepness, allows fruit to fully ripen, achieving great perfume and spice in the resulting wines.
Medhurst has made ‘Estate’ level shiraz (circa $50) in the past, but in 2023, with an abundance of fruit, a last-minute decision resulted in this entry level ‘Yarra Valley’ syrah for the first time.
The fruit for this wine came from the same single vineyard and is made with the same attention to detail as the estate wine. Rohan compared it to nearby Warramate’s Black Label Cabernet, which is also made in the same winery and same way as Yarra Yering’s ‘Dry Red No.1, but for a fraction of the price.
Previous winemaker Simon Steele started the wine (fermented) and Rohan finished it (blended and bottled), so not sure who gets the glory, although Simon did get his name on the bottle.
Picking was done entirely by hand, with 15% of the of the fruit left as whole bunches in the ferment, to give an extra level of perfume in the finished wine. The wine was fermented using indigenous yeasts, with 20% of it doing so in new French oak. Post ferment, the wine saw 6 months ageing in oak, 30% new, which added spice and lift, and has integrated beautifully. The wine saw minimal filtration, is sealed with screwcap and is 13.5% alcohol.
As soon as I opened the bottle I could smell this lush wine. In the glass, this is a clear purpley red. On the nose it's highly aromatic with intense juicy red fruit. On the palate, pomegranate mingles with pepper and violets. The fruit is just as intense in the mouth but elegantly dry, with silky smooth tannins complementing lovely savoury graphite on the finish. Lush mouthfeel and skilfully balanced. Very drinkable.
“Brilliant bright crimson red, electric purple hues. An intensely aromatic and highly perfumed wine with blue fruits and exotic spice dominating the aromas. The palate has great energy, blueberry and raspberry fruit, spice and savoury flavours around a backbone of natural acid. The mouthfeel is lithe with slinky fine tannins and a clean, fruit-driven finish. A wine made for immediate consumption that will improve with careful cellaring over the medium term.” Winemaker’s notes.
“A new and incredibly well-priced syrah from the team at Medhurst. A brilliant, bright purple, you’ll find aromas of raspberries, boysenberries and violets together with a touch of spice. Light to medium bodied, the fruit is pure and delicious, the tannins silky and fine. Both the wine and the price are spot on. Drink to: 2034.” 96 Points & Special Value Star, James Halliday Wine Companion.
You won’t find it around town much in Sydney, but in Melbourne you’ll find it at the groovy Smith Street Bistro in Collingwood for $80 a bottle.
And just in case you need another reason to stock up, the wine wasn’t made in 2024. It might just be a one vintage wonder, so stock up.
I can offer it for $29 a bottle.
