Sam Plunkett Forest Hut Vineyard Shiraz 2021

Very nice full body but easy drinking fruity shiraz :)

Wasn't awful but not as much body as I was expecting

This wine was absolutely incredible, by far one of the best Shiraz I have ever tried, the flavour lingers on your palate for such a long time constantly changing from dark fruits to just the perfect amount of wood.
Top job and can't wait to try more!

Smoothe deep perfect red

Intense blackberries with a subtle backbone of umami roasted meat. Served at a cool temp of 8-12 degrees with a curry which it stood up to perfectly. At a cooler temp it is more intense and creamy but at room temp it loses something becoming lighterbodied. Absolutely gorgeous for it's price point. Australia meets the Northern Rhône.

Intense blackberries with a subtle backbone of umami roasted neat. Absolutely gorgeous for any price. Australia meets the Northern Rhône.

On 2nd day, much more improved. Beguiling AllSpice nose, really ripe fruit bursting in the mouth, accompanied by the lightest touch of tannin, finishing long and surprisingly tart.
On day 1, my impression was of a good wine, BUT, finishing Too sweet.
What a difference a day makes!! WhooHoo

My third single vineyard Shiraz from Sam (after Whitegate and Tait Hamilton) and I'd have to say my favourite so far. The traditional Shiraz flavours of blackberry, plum and blueberry are all there but this Shiraz is a bit different. There's a distinct mentholic note in the aroma; something that's often present in Shiraz, but not usually this prominent. Stephen Millier's Shiraz is the only other I can think of that has such a distinct menthol note. This makes the wine feel a bit lighter, even though it's quite full-bodied. It's still a smooth and dark fruit-forward wine, but it definitely has a point of difference. Plenty of tannins but they're soft and compliment the lingering juicy aftertaste.

I still have a couple of other of Sam's single vineyard Shiraz to try but for now Forest Hut is in the lead.

Continuing the weekend with another Sam Plunkett single vineyard Shiraz, this time Sam Plunkett Forest Hut Vineyard Shiraz 2021. Though it still has a lot of the classic Shiraz dark fruit flavour, there are some definite contrasting notes between this one and the Whitegate. I remember sampling Forest Hut on the tasting tour and recall a distinct menthol aroma. It's subsided a bit after a bit of time in the bottle but it's definitely still there. It makes the wine feel a bit lighter than the Whitegate, even though I think they're similar in terms of body. Being a couple of vintages later, the tannins aren't quite as silky smooth as Whitegate 2019, but they're still pleasantly soft. Both have juicy blackberry flavours but I'd say Forest Hut leans more to plums and blueberries, whereas Whitegate has the tangy black cherry flavour.

Both great examples of Aussie Shiraz. I'll try them side by side later and see if I can pick a favourite.