Experienced Hunter Valley winemaker Greg Silkman has crafted a fine modern impression of a traditional regional shiraz to mark the Belgenny brand’s launch onto the market. Belgenny is a new project whose 14 ha vineyard is found on Debeyers Rd at Pokolbin in the Lower Hunter. It was first planted in 1991 to chardonnay, shiraz and merlot added in 1994. The wines are made offsite at Monarch Winemaking Services at Pokolbin. The 1997 Shiraz is a fine, tight-knit wine whose aroma of raspberries and violets is offset against cedar/vanilla oak. Its palate is long and supple, with bright red and black fruit flavours wound around fine tannins and reserved oak. A Hunter impression of McLaren Vale shiraz this is not, and its spicy, leathery regional characteristics are just beginning to peep through. I rate the wine at 17.2 and suggest it be cellared until 2005-2009. It is presently being released at around $21 retail.
