Gundog Estate Rare Game Shiraz 2023

This is the team’s flagship Hunter red and it continues to have as its inspiration, Hunter Burgundy. Younger wine lovers might think someone has lost the plot but decades ago, many top Hunter reds were labelled Burgundy. Whether they resembled the real thing is a debate for another day, but the great examples, like the Lindeman’s 1959 and the astounding pair from 1965, are some of the greatest wines ever made in this country. So the guys are really aiming high here, and they are making some seriously admirable wines as a result. This one comes from the Tinkler’s 48 Block and the famous Will’s Hill Vineyard. The wine spends sixteen months maturing in French puncheons, one quarter new. 20% whole bunches are included. Coming from a stellar vintage for the region doesn’t hurt either. Deep maroon, there are notes of tobacco leaves, herbs, bacon fat and chocolate. A fine structure with good focus, life and length, there are sleek tannins here and impressive balance. An enticing texture, everything is in place for this wine to provide pleasure for the best part of the next fifteen to twenty years. If you want to know what all the fuss is about when old timers go all misty-eyed over Hunter Burgundy, this is a good place to start. And it is about one-hundredth of the cost of one of those ‘65s, even if you could find a bottle.