Mount Pleasant Wines
Maurice O'Shea Hunter Valley Shiraz
Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia
Deep Crimson with purple rim. Has the colour of a less than 5 year old wine. Earthy tarry aromas. On the palate very savoury and enticing with meaty notes. Old School Hunter Valley Shiraz from Vineyards worked by the legendary Maurice O'Shea in the 1940s and 50s. Like the wines O'Shea made this will live for decades although this wine is more full bodied than these wines from that era. About 10 years ago I was lucky to buy a 1952 (my birth year) at Auction made by the legend. Still holding up at 50+ years of age and barely medium bodied. Had another bottle 457 weeks later on 22/4/26. This was the ripe rich South Australian model which thankfully they have left behind and returned to their medium bodied roots. This was dense Ruby and opaque. Ripe rich and tarry. A full bodied palate with great length and pronounced tannins. Already 20 years old and somewhat of a pup. Could cellar for at least another 10 years. Had another bottle on 23rd April 2026 with consistent notes. This is a huge wine and not true to the Hunter Valley style. Rich ripe and tannic. Will cellar for another 5 to 10 years plus.
Deep Crimson with purple rim. Has the colour of a less than 5 year old wine. Earthy tarry aromas. On the palate very savoury and enticing with meaty notes. Old School Hunter Valley Shiraz from Vineyards worked by the legendary Maurice O'Shea in the 1940s and 50s. Like the wines O'Shea made this will live for decades although this wine is more full bodied than these wines from that era. About 10 years ago I was lucky to buy a 1952 (my birth year) at Auction made by the legend. Still holding up at 50+ years of age and barely medium bodied. Had another bottle 457 weeks later on 22/4/26. This was the ripe rich South Australian model which thankfully they have left behind and returned to their medium bodied roots. This was dense Ruby and opaque. Ripe rich and tarry. A full bodied palate with great length and pronounced tannins. Already 20 years old and somewhat of a pup. Could cellar for at least another 10 years. Had another bottle on 23rd April 2026 with consistent notes. This is a huge wine and not true to the Hunter Valley style. Rich ripe and tannic. Will cellar for another 5 to 10 years plus.
Jul 16th, 2017Earthy cherry notes with a touch of leather. Sounds like descriptors for a good Brunello but no, this is a very good 10 year old Hunter valley Shiraz. A product of vines now more than a century old from the historic Hillside Vineyards. Named after the legendary Maurice O'Shea who began making wine in the Hunter in 1925. I have read his biography and once had a bottle of 1952 made by the great man, who died in 1956. Viticulture in the Hunter can be traced back to 1823.
Earthy cherry notes with a touch of leather. Sounds like descriptors for a good Brunello but no, this is a very good 10 year old Hunter valley Shiraz. A product of vines now more than a century old from the historic Hillside Vineyards. Named after the legendary Maurice O'Shea who began making wine in the Hunter in 1925. I have read his biography and once had a bottle of 1952 made by the great man, who died in 1956. Viticulture in the Hunter can be traced back to 1823.
Jan 26th, 2016