I worked in a job for 36 years and, sadly, towards the end of my working life, I was deemed ‘old school’ for no other reason than I had been around for so long. I could still do my job in the ‘modern era’ and use all the mod cons and technology available to me, achieving the same results that I had for over three decades. I would also like to add the ‘old school’ way was appreciated just as much as the more ‘contemporary’ way by those I connected with during that part of my working life. Winemaking technics can travel between ‘old school’ and ‘contemporary’ depending on both the individual winemaker and the traditions of the winery.

I appreciate and take my hat off to winemakers like Tim Stevens who don’t hesitate to produce a wine that may well be in the mould of older style, which I think this wine is, with the knowledge that it still has a place in the modern wine world, and rightly so. I enjoyed this (pre-release) Shiraz and I have no doubt my grandsons will too (if they turn out to be red wine drinkers).

Region: Mudgee, NSW     Price: $100    Source: Samples thanks kindly to Huntington Estate

There was a boldness and a headiness about it this wine that really appealed to me right from the start. It stood its ground and refused to budge, providing a lasting experience for the consumer along with instant gratification. Rich and generous on the palate thanks to some dark fruits with a nice mid palate plumminess while delicate herbs and spices add their two bobs worth. There is a little fruit sweetness in there along with some oak showing its hand, and the tannins say hello on the nice long finish. This is not built for today, clearly, which comes as no surprise with the Huntington Estate wines. This wine is worth the investment considering there are wines two and three times the price out there.