-
98
/ 100
Campbell Mattinson -
98
/ 100
Huon Hooke -
97
/ 100
Kasia Sobiesiak -
97
/ 100
James Suckling
Red
Classification
Shiraz
Variety
2021
Vintage
750ml (Bottle)
Bottle Size
Australia
Country
New South Wales, Hunter Valley
Region
13.5%
Alcohol %
15 Plus Years
Cellaring
Scores
98 / 100"The tannin structure, the meatiness, the mineral. This wine gives an insight into what makes this vineyard so special in a way that I don’t know that I’ve encountered before, in a young wine. It’s like the bookcase has spun around and oh, I get it, there it is, that’s why everyone keeps looking at these books. It has length and complexity and all those things but this wine has more than that. It’s like it’s saying, Let me show you something. I took one sip and thought, Don’t go. I took another and thought it again. This isn’t just a wine, it’s an insight. I remember, in a previous lifetime, someone texting me a line from the Wine Hunter book, which of course is set around the vineyard that this wine is grown on. At the end of the book O’Shea turns to the vineyard that has been his life’s work and thinks, What a mate for a man. That’s what someone texted me, apropos of nothing, without identifying themselves or the book. I opened my phone and there were the words: WHAT A MATE FOR A MAN! I’ve always wondered, and wanted, to know what the wines of this mate-of-a-vineyard tasted like when they were young. Today, from the first sip, is the day that I felt as though I stepped in closer to knowing. This is a ‘what a mate for a man’ wine. It’s got something to show you. Don’t go, I thought, again, after taking another sip. 98 points. This is best O’Shea Shiraz made since O’Shea himself was making them."
- Campbell Mattinson
98 / 100
"Deep red with a good purple tint and a bouquet that is reticent at first and builds meaty/charcuterie and savoury underbrush aromas with exposure to air. The palate is full bodied and fleshy, rich and dense with plenty of extract and satisfying length, the tannins and flavour lingering long and harmoniously on the follow-through. A dramatic wine and very impressive. A Hunter shiraz of gravitas, with a great cellaring future. An outstanding O'Shea. 14 JUN 2023"
- Huon Hooke
97 / 100
"Silky smooth in the mouth, squeaky a bit, a mix of pretty stuff, some dark in nature, fresh earth after rain, and wet forest breeze, autumnal leaves. But also fresh red rose petals, a hint of briar rose jam sweetness, and just a whiff of grilled hazelnuts in skins, or Amaretti biscuits as a top note. It’s mostly about tense and flavourful fruit skins, Damson plum-like, with plenty of fine leathery tannins. Black pepper spice to sign things off."
- Kasia Sobiesiak
97 / 100
"A cooler year, producing medium-bodied wines of clarity. The voice of place, audible. In this instance, a blend of the more favorable of the estate's holdings to serve as a magnificent flagship. Yet while the narrative is important, it is this wine's beguiling, floral transparency that serves the real story. The tannins, delicate; the acidity, filigreed. The effect is one of an intricate mandala, shape-shifting across identities on the palate. Extremely complex and mellifluous, all at once. Quite the transcendental wine, reminding me of shiraz meeting pinot noir in a far off idyll. Drinkable now, but best from 2026. Screw cap."
- James Suckling
Tasting Notes
This iconic wine is a fitting tribute to the legendary winemaker and Mount Pleasant founder, Maurice O’Shea, one of the most important figures in the modern Australian wine industry.
From the moment you uncork the bottle, the aromas wafting through the air will enchant your senses. Rich notes of dark fruits, such as blackberries and plums, mingle with hints of spice and cedar, creating a symphony of fragrances that promise an indulgent experience.
The Maurice O’Shea Shiraz is the flagship red wine for Mount Pleasant and is a blend of the best fruit available, only made in the best years. Taken from the Old Hill, Old Paddock, Rosehill 1946 and 1965 Vines, it is a challenging and thought-provoking blend of the finest parcels from estate grown vineyards that highlight the best of each vintage. Characterised by power, balance, perfume and spice, the Maurice O’Shea Shiraz retains the classic hallmark Hunter style that O’Shea himself helped to define.
Tasting Profile
- Light
- Full
- Low Tannin
- Tannic
- Sweet
- Dry
- Low Acidity
- High Acidity