By James Atkinson
Hunter Valley winery Oakvale's bid to restore its previous standing as one of the region's top winemakers has continued with the release of the 2011 Oakvale Reserve Shiraz, priced at $70.
Oakvale winemaker James Becker said the Reserve Shiraz is a new addition to its range that will be produced using the "absolute best Shiraz from only excellent vintages".
"We have various sites that we source grapes from, with our Ablington Estate vineyard producing a number of small parcels of excellent Shiraz. There are various clones, with some dry grown and some irrigated vines. This gives us a broader range of components, and subsequently greater complexity in the finished wine."
Oakvale has also released the 2011 'Peppercorn' Shiraz ($25), "a more traditional Hunter Valley Shiraz, with a familiar oak and fruit balance".
"The 'Peppercorn' Shiraz was, like the Reserve, handpicked and fermented in open fermenters. The wine was then matured in French oak barriques for 12 months prior to bottling," he said.
Becker last year said the winery's 2011 Oakvale Single Vineyard Shiraz ($45) and 2011 Oakvale Limited Release Reserve Chardonnay ($40) had reignited its strong tradition and premium positioning in the Hunter.