Tyrrell’s Wines
Hallowed ground in the Hunter Valley Tyrell’s wines is one of the oldest family-owned businesses in the Hunter and a founding member of Australia’s first families of wine.
The entrance to sacred ground
The home of Vat 1 semillon, the gift that Australian wine keeps giving the world. One of your top ten wines to experience should be a Vat 1 with at least 15 years or more in it. I don’t mind a young Semillon, that bright fresh zesty lemon. But there is really nothing like an aged Semillon. Tyrells Vat 1, and Keith Tulloch are my go to’s. Very special.
The cellar door is the old homestead and cellar and is always busy any day of the week you want to visit. The Cellar is at the top of a ridge looking out on the valley, on a clear day you can see for miles across the valley, from the broken back mountain range behind you, to the tiny village of Pokolbin and beyond.
The view from the top of the hill
The original family home…
During the covid times bookings became essential and like many other cellars across Australia this requirement is likely to continue. The cellar doors learned a few things from covid, that customers who have a good tasting experience are going to buy more per head and that with a continuous stream of bookings they can staff so you can have a great experience. I believe the days of drunk bus tours showing up at places like Tyrells are gone and thank god for it.
Tyrells can sometimes feel like one of the big machines, but is just a wildly successful family business. They are still very much a Hunter Valley wine business, with all of their grapes sourced in Pokolbin, Broke, upper and lower hunter. The wines are entirely made from grape from their own estate grown vineyards. Very occasionally they will do a blend with selected grape from regions like McLaren Vale in South Australia.
Vat 1 is the leading Semillon in the world every year and is rightly revered. Tyrells also make some of the best balanced, mid bodied spicy Shiraz in the Hunter. If you think Australian Shiraz is all about big bold and fruity, have a taste of the Vat 9, the 4 acres or the Johnno’s Shiraz, the older the better. These are intricate beasts and with age you will enjoy red and black fruits, spice, tobacco, cigar box cedar, earth and the black pepper that is a hallmark of the Hunter.
Try the Cabernet Shiraz, it's up there with the Bin 389. (Dec 2019) The vat 47 Chardonnay looks like it could be sold out at the cellar door, even the older vintages, so if you can find some put it away.
The views are stunning, the staff are welcoming and it's a lovely spot to sit, have a picnic and just hangout with a bottle of wine, some cheese and relax.
Absolutely one of the best spots you should visit in the Hunter Valley
