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Reviews
“Here we are in May 2008 and the odd 2008 wine is already rolling in for review - and when they are as good as this, there are no complaints from me. The 2008 Hunter season was shockingly cold and wet, and for some perverse reason that often means that the semillon turns out excellent. I believe this has. This is very acidic and lemony but it is long and pristine too, with the odd flash of white flowers floating through the wine's aromatics. It's is very young, but very good”. Drink: 2010-2018. 94 points.
Campbell Mattinson - The Wine front - 28th May 2008
"Two tastings of this now, one in February and one a couple of days ago, and both times I’ve scribbled in a 94-95 point range. The first tasting was amongst its siblings (Alexander Munro and Aunts) and the second amongst its peers (Graveyard and KISS).
It’s aromatic and fresh with berries, plum, spice, a bit of earthiness and some liquorice richness coming through with a bit of airing - quite Rhôney even. Again the theme is replayed on the palate - medium bodied, bright and very lively with refreshing acidity, fine lightly grippy tannins and a real sense of vigour throughout. It has flavours of plum, spice and earth with a deft application of tasteful malty oak and a very long dry finish. Serious and stylish but really needing a bit of cellar time to show its best." 94+ Points.
Gary Walsh - Winorama - 26th May 2008
1998 'Alexander Munro' Shiraz - Aged Release
"A lovely mature style, this has weight, elegance and length. Rating: 93.
Ken Gargett - Courier Mail - QWeekend - 3rd May 2008
“Son of a gun. This is good—or maybe even better—than the outstanding 2006. The tannin structure of it, the easy-going complexity, the blush of ripe, bright, vibrant fruit—it’s all going on. A mouthful of plummy, spicy flavour at ridiculously low price”. Drink: 2008—2017. 93 Points.
Campbell Mattinson—The Big Red Wine Book—May 2008
“I liked this wine so much that I felt like a better person the moment I started drinking it. It’s perfumed and musky and outrageously plummy, its earthy, spicy foundations evident, but discreet. A fine flourish of scented flavour bursts through the finish; as do superfine tannins. Wow. Classic Hunter, in the best possible way. Drink 2012—2020. 96 Points.
Campbell Mattinson—The Big Red Wine Book—May 2008
1998 'Alexander Munro' Shiraz - Aged Release
"A multi-layered, fathomlessly complex aged Hunter shiraz with aromas of leather, crushed seashells and all manner of weird things. Loaded with character, it makes other wines seem simplistic. Tannins are very evident and it's best with protein-rich food. Now to 10 years. 93/100.
Huon Hooke - SMH Good Living - 15th April 2008
"Brash and obvious with juicy stonefruit, tropical fruits, quince, vanilla and roasted nuts. On the palate medium to full bodied with good rich flavours of slightly candied stone and tropical fruit, spice and supporting vanilla oak. It has a lightly slippery glycerol mouthfeel with balanced acidity and a dry spicy finish of good length. Good wine. Smart price". Rated : 91 Points.
Gary Walsh—Winorama—March 2008.
"The Eather brothers, Rhys and Garth, have a family tradition in Hunter winemaking stretching back to the mid-19th century but their wines are very much at the forefront of modern Hunter style. This 100 per cent shiraz is based on specific vineyards, and is a bright, ripe-fruit style with a lick of nicely handled oak. All Meerea park shirazes are at the more powerful end of Hunter style".
Huon Hooke - SMH Good Living - 4th March 2008
1998 'Alexander Munro' Shiraz - Aged Release
"A museum release from Meerea Park of one of the best reds they've made to date. It tastes mighty good as a ten year old too. It's all leather, earth and fresh blackberry, a slight mentholly character adding lift and life. For my tastes it's just entering its peak drinking window - though it will age nicely, and well, for another five or even ten years. It's one of those aged reds that smells beautiful - time has been kind to it". Drink: 2009-2020. 93 points.
Campbell Mattinson - The Wine front - 20th February 2008
1998 'Alexander Munro' Shiraz - Aged Release
"I've tasted this wine on numerous occasions over the years and my sampling last week shows it's better than ever and still has lots of cellar life in it. It is deep garnet in the glass and has plum pudding and leather aromas. Beautiful, intense, mellow plum flavour glides onto the front of the palate and cassis, dark chocolate and molasses fruit characters integrate with subtle nutty oak on the middle palate. Persistent plum flavour and smooth earthy tannins combine at the finish. It would be perfect with char-grilled kangaroo fillet, duck a l'orange, or roast fillet of beef with mushrooms. Ageing 10 years. êêêêê
John Lewis - Newcastle Herald - 12th February 2008
2007 'Alexander Munro' Chardonnay
"This is a prime example of the new style of Hunter chardonnay - fresh, crisp, smoky and boosted with a quick injection of quality oak (it must have only been in oak for a few months). In my books it tastes great. Crisp, lemony, peachy and clean, the finish tangy and refreshing. Excellent. Drink: 2008-2013. 92 points".
Campbell Mattinson - The Wine Front - 4th February 2008
1998 'Alexander Munro' Shiraz - Aged Release
“Good clear garnet colour with typical Hunter aromas of red and black berries, licorice, sweet leather, cedar with just a little mintiness. On the palate medium bodied with a mix of berry fruit, leather, licorice and cedar oak all intermingling nicely. It has some chocolate characters too but the impression is largely of fresh berry fruit with some tertiary bottle aged characters coming through. Well structured with firm fine tannin, distinctly fresh clean acidity and good length of flavour closing with a sweet berry and leather aftertaste. At the moment I think this is still too young to drink, it needs (at least) another five or six years to show its Huntery best and will keep going on from there”. Rated : 94+ Points.
Gary Walsh—Winorama—January 2008
A Hunter Hit..... "One of a number of top-shelf Shiraz from this boutique Hunter winery. This has a lot of grunt by Hunter standards with heaps of sweet dark fruit, some smokiness, and dried earth complexity. Lots of moreish Hunter spice, too".
Rick Allen - Ciao Magazine
"This is the new breed of Hunter semillon from the Eather family - whose winemaking roots go back 150 years. A single vineyard white with intense, mouth-puckering lime and lemon citrus flavours, tight structure and taut, racy acidity. Age-worthy".
Peter Forrestal - Qantas Magazine - December 2007
2002 'Alexander Munro' Semillon
"This great individual vineyard wine from the Eather brothers in the Hunter Valley hit a peak in 2002: wonderful, classic buttered toast bouquet now mellow and rich but still fresh. The palate is fine and soft and seems a tad low in acidity. But that's a minor quibble". 93 / 100. Food sauteed Balmain bugs.
Huon Hooke - SMH Good Living - 27th November 2007
"Whether or not the Hunter Valley is a "hell hole" due to its summer heat is open for debate but it's certainly a great place to grow semillon. This shows lemon, stonefruit and lanolin-like regional traits, and its palate is ripe, long and intense. First-class. Food: Salt and pepper calamari. Aging: Drink now to 2012". êêêêê
Sally Gudgeon & Ralph Kyte-Powell - Sunday Life 'Uncorked' - 18th November 2007
2007 'Alexander Munro' Chardonnay
“Aromas of lemon rind, peach and matchstick with cashew nut and ginger spice oak. On the palate medium to full bodied with intense flavours of peach, grapefruit and lemon rind backed with spicy ginger oak and a little bit of struck match. It has penetrating mouth-watering acidity, a light slightly chalky texture and a little warmth. Finishes long and dry with a tangy preserved lemon aftertaste. There is a fair bit of free sulphur floating about at the moment that needs to settle, but this really is an excellent chardonnay”.92+ Points.
Gary Walsh—Winorama—September 2007
“Aromas of blackberry, plenty of spice, dark chocolate, smoky bacon and some earthiness. All very nice. It has a medium to full bodied palate with blackberry and dark cherry fruit, spice, dark chocolate and earthy flavours. Firm dry lightly grippy tannins and good weight (not too heavy, not too light) so that you can drink heartily and well (but no more than your allotted two standard drinks per day mind you..) at a very keen price. Outstanding value”. Rated: 91 Points
Gary Walsh – Winorama – November 2007
Fantastic aromas, classically varietal in nature. Fresh and invigorating, limes, limes and limes abound. Ripe resplendently lively and fresh. Lemon citrus follows. A gloriously composed wine with a clean crisp finish. Beautifully balanced and superbly drinkable. Really spot on stuff. Try with stuffed squid. Drink to 2020. About $25. 95/100 – Superb.
Paul Ippolito - www.paulippolito.com.au - October 2007
"2007 Ewok is one of Meerea Park's best ever Semillon releases. This estate has threatened to produce something amazing for several years, but somehow just managed to duck under the Empire's radar. 2007 is, we hope, the beginning of a run of definition and craftsmenship, which makes this Semillon more than worthy of its position in your drinking calendar this year. With brilliant fresh lemon notes, this is one of the best Semillons we have seen, with the precision and brilliance of a fully charged light sabre."
Matthew Jukes & Tyson Stelzer - Taste 2008
“This is excellent value too - even if I prefer the straight shiraz. There's a sweet aniseed-like flavour to its cherry-plummed core, the Hunter's natural earthiness lessened by the wine's apricotty lilt. For less than twenty bucks it drinks beautifully though, and better value is hard to find. Drink: 2007-2012. 90 points”.
Campbell Mattinson - The Wine Front - October 2007
“Awesome value. A lovely medium-weight, savoury wine that will probably go well in the cellar over ten years but, of course, drinks deliciously now. It's savoury but fruity, its cherry-plummed heart flecked with spice, earth and cedar. Its tannin are firm and grapey - this is a case buy. Really. Drink: 2007-2017. 92 points”.
Campbell Mattinson—The Wine Front—October 2007
“Hunter Valley shiraz writ large. Smoky char oak and meaty, earthy fruit typical of the region but with superb concentration and depth. Elegant, fleshy and just a tad animal. This is a character-filled red of great potential”. Now to 2025. 93/100.
Huon Hooke - SMH Good Living
“Strong colour. Aromas of blackcurrant, blackberry, earth, chocolate and light vanilla oak. There is a bit of floral perfume from the viognier but nothing distracting. It’s medium bodied with earthy blackberry and dark cherry fruit and has quite strong grainy tannins rippling through the palate. Minimal oak influence with clean slightly crunchy acidity and good length of flavour. Showed no signs of tiring after being open for a couple of days. Yet another vintage delivering outstanding value and great drinking”. Rated: 91 points.
Gary Walsh - Winorama - www.winorama.com.au
“Immaculate expression of variety and region. Typicity up to its gills - and a single vineyard wine to boot. I'm in the midst of writing a book called (provocatively?) Why The French Hate Us: The Real Story of Australian Wine - and it's wines like this that I'm going to ram forward. This is pure, piercing, lingering and lovely. It's cutely zesty and acidic, as a wine of this quality should be. It will be gorgeous in ten years - as, with oysters, it is gorgeous right now”. Drink: 2008-2019. 95 points.
Campbell Mattinson – The Wine Front – July 2007.
"This is exceptional value. It's a cracking wine. It's a great mix of drinkability and cutting cellarability, the high, driving, piercing ring of lemony flavour splashed with musky, spicy, tropical flavours. The length is outstanding. I love the bite of flavour on the finish. Very high class wine. Drink: 2007-2014". 93 points.
Campbell Mattinson – The Wine Front – July 2007.
"Aromas of cassis, licorice, earth and smoky spicy oak with a light floral lift. Darkly sweet and savoury. On the palate medium to full bodied with intense sweet black fruit and more earthy flavours backed with spicy smoky oak. It feels glossy and smooth with good fine firm tannins and a long sweet fruited finish”.
Rated : 93 Points.
Gary Walsh – Winorama – July 2007.
“The third wine is a very interesting beast. It's very perfumed, quite licoricey, fruity and attractive, and yet it's still a savoury wine. It's the kind of wine you can sit and smell all day. As it turns out, it has five percent viognier in it, which is why it has such a sweetly exotic nose, but in the mouth it's not apparent at all, offering a delightful serve of medium-bodied, savoury, spicy Hunter Valley shiraz goodness. The tannins here, again, are ripe and fine, and for a moment I thought that this was the Hell Hole - a hefty compliment”. 92 points.
Campbell Mattinson – The Wine Front – May 2007.
“Aromas of rich blackberry, raspberry, pepper and licorice with smoky bacon and vanilla oak. On the palate medium bodied with blackberry, raspberry and blackcurrant, spice, vanilla and some smoky earthy flavours. Beautifully ripe expressive fruit without any heaviness. Smooth and supple with fine ripe tannins and balanced acidity. Long dry spicy finish with a blackcurranty aftertaste. Lipsmackingly good wine”. Rated : 94 Points.
Gary Walsh – Winorama – June 2007.
“I've been raving about the 2005 Meerea Park reds, but this is the one you must not miss out on. It's got a hit of vanillin oak, true, but most of all it's earthy and spicy and deliciously plummy, the Hunter Valley engraved on a heart of lipsmacking drinkability. There a bit of leather and game in the background, serving to drive the yum factor higher. Drink: 2007-2013”. 92 Points.
Campbell Mattinson - The Wine Front - June 2007.
2002 'Alexander Munro' Semillon
The 2004 version of this wine, made from Ken Braye's Braemore vineyard grapes, won a gold medal in the 100 per cent Hunter Valley any vintage semillon dry white class at the recent Hunter Valley Wine Show. The 2002 is pale straw in the glass and has green apple and lanolin scents. Crisp lemon flavour shows on the front of the palate and sherbert and lime zest characters chime in on the middle palate. Fresh steely acid refreshes at the finish. It's a lighter, delicate style of white that would be best with potato and leek soup, chicken and mushroom vol-ua-vent or warm broccoli and tuna salad. Aging: 5 years. 4 glass rating.
John Lewis - Newcastle Herald - Uncorked - 5th September 2007
“Spotlessly clean; tightly wound, but crisp and balanced, with very good length; notes of grass and spice are very different to the ‘05, but do not suffer in comparison”. Rating 93. To 2017.
James Halliday—2008 Wine Companion.
"The aroma and flavour complexity is enhanced by the 6% viognier; blackberry, dark chocolate and that touch of apricot; soft and satisfying finish. Controlled use of french oak". Rating 94.
James Halliday - 2008 Wine Companion
"Medium red - purple; an elegant, medium- bodied wine; good texture and structure; plum, cherry and blackberry fruit, with fine tannins. Has soaked up the French oak in which it spent 2 years; 150 dozen made". Rating 94.
James Halliday - 2008 Wine Companion
"A spotless bouquet, then a super-precise and focused palate offering intense mineral, herb and lemon flavours; very long finish; 150 dozen made". Rating 95.
James Halliday - 2008 Wine Companion
"Spotlessly clean; tightly wound, but crisp and balanced, with very good length; notes of grass and spice are very different to the '05, but do not suffer in comparison". Rating 93.
James Halliday - 2008 Wine Companion
"Typical vivid colour; a medium-bodied, fruit-driven wine with soft, almost silky, red fruits and viognier lift; minimal tannin and oak inputs". Rating 90.
James Halliday - 2008 Wine Companion
"A nicely constructed medium-bodied wine, with neat red fruits and fine tannins". Rating 90.
James Halliday - 2008 Wine Companion
“This wine was straight out of the fridge on the second day and the aromatics were already pumping, again. You just cannot hold a great wine down - amazing stuff indeed. Gary has recently said that he judges young Semillons by balance and length of flavour, and I think that is sound logic. And it must be said that this wine has both of those characteristics in spades. An awesome nose, lemon and lime, slate and just a shaving of citrus peel. The palate showed lemony acid, tight and refreshing, dry with some slightly grassy characters, soft acid and a long long finish. It is not simple; it is pure. Pure pleasure. Beautiful balance and length. Top notch stuff”. Rated : 95 Points.
Lincoln Scott – Winorama – July 2007.
This is big for a Hunter shiraz; deep and assertive with density. Smoky, charred barrel and coconut over dark cherry and plum. It's impressively proportioned. Best 2010 to 2020. 93/100.
Huon Hooke - SMH Good Living
An aged release from a top Hunter Valley maker, this is really beautiful, semi-mature semillon with lemon, herbal aromas and the beginnings of toasty development. Hints of beeswax and lemon curd; fresh, lively and delicious. Now to five years. 95/100.
Huon Hooke - SMH Good Living - Top Aussie White
“Aromas of dried cherry, raspberry pie, smoky bacon, dried herbs and spice. Curious smelling wine but I like it. On the palate medium to full bodied with dried cherry, raspberry, dried herb and earthy flavours. Smooth texture with some grainy tannins. Gamey raspberry finish of good length. Very good wine at this price”. Rated : 89 Points.
Gary Walsh—Winorama—August 2007
"In years to come these guys will challenge the best".
Ken Gargett - Qweekend - Courier Mail - 7th October 2006
"Every time someone asks me for the "next big wine thing" tip I point them to Meerea Park wines in the Hunter Valley".
Paul Ippolito - Paul Ippolito Talks Wine - July 2006
"Meerea Park has been the bolter of the past few years, producing a constant stream of excellent wines, both white and red. Its maker, Rhys Eather, is clearly one of the region's winemaking stars."
Campbell Mattinson - Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine - February 2006.
"Over the past decade, Meerea Park has established itself as one of the Hunter's best producers."
"Meerea Parks' four shirazes constitute one of the strongest ranges of Hunter red."Huon Hooke – Good Living – 12th July 2005
"Yes I know this is expensive but I think it's simply the best Hunter red I've had in years - maybe ever. This is not one of your tough old leathery Hunter Shirazes, as mighty as some of those have been. This has lovelyrich fruit, beautiful balance and structure and a little splash of Viognier, which makes it not only trendy but also just a tiny bit more delicious. If this is the future of Hunter Shiraz then I want a part of it." êêêêê
Stuart Gregor - Don't Buy Wine Without Me 2005
"The next morning I visited the boys at Meerea Park, who all of a sudden are putting together some of the Hunter's best wines, at all prices. It's a tiny operation with barrels in every spare inch and the heart of passionate, small-scale winemaking on everyone's sleeve."
Winefront Monthly – Campbell Mattinson – Sept-Oct 2004
"Meerea Park is among the Hunter Valley's foremost boutique winemakers.."
Jeff Collerson - Daily Telegraph - 30th April 2003
"Meerea Park’s offerings are generally not complex, but they are hedonistic, delicious reds possessing abundant fruit . . . everything a beverage of pleasure should be".
Robert Parker Jnr. - The Wine Advocate - October 2002
Rhys Eather...."He's become something of a star winemaker, but he's picky."
Tim White - Australian Financial Review - February 2002
Latest NewsVintage 200814 Apr 2008 2008 will unfortunately only be remembered as a white wine vintage of any note in the Hunter Valley. Excessive rainfall and low daytime temperatures caused the Shiraz vines to struggle to ripen the fruit. As a result we will not release any 'Alexander Munro', 'Hell Hole', 'Terracotta' or 'The Aunts' Shiraz from 2008, but are confident of releasing a worthy Shiraz Viognier. On the other hand, the whites look very good with the first release, the 2008 'Hell Hole' Semillon due out on the 1st May. 2008 Royal Sydney Wine Show18 Feb 2008 Two Meerea Park semillons were awarded Gold medals at the 2008 Royal Sydney Wine Show held last week. The 2007 'Terracotta' (class 30) and 2007 'Alexander Munro' (class 36) are scheduled for release in 2012. View all the recent news |
Latest ReleasesView more recent releases |
Latest Reviews“Here we are in May 2008 and the odd 2008 wine is already rolling in for review - and when they are as good as this, there are no complaints from me. The 2008 Hunter season was shockingly cold and wet, and for some perverse reason that often means that the semillon turns out excellent. I believe this has. This is very acidic and lemony but it is long and pristine too, with the odd flash of white flowers floating through the wine's aromatics. It's is very young, but very good”. Drink: 2010-2018. 94 points. Campbell Mattinson - The Wine front - 28th May 2008 "Two tastings of this now, one in February and one a couple of days ago, and both times I’ve scribbled in a 94-95 point range. The first tasting was amongst its siblings (Alexander Munro and Aunts) and the second amongst its peers (Graveyard and KISS). It’s aromatic and fresh with berries, plum, spice, a bit of earthiness and some liquorice richness coming through with a bit of airing - quite Rhôney even. Again the theme is replayed on the palate - medium bodied, bright and very lively with refreshing acidity, fine lightly grippy tannins and a real sense of vigour throughout. It has flavours of plum, spice and earth with a deft application of tasteful malty oak and a very long dry finish. Serious and stylish but really needing a bit of cellar time to show its best." 94+ Points.
Gary Walsh - Winorama - 26th May 2008 View more recent reviews |
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