Richard Hamilton, Hut Block, McLaren Vale

Steak night tonight so i thought to review this underrated wine from a very out of fashion/Media producer for followers. From the cool good vintage in McLaren vale. 2019. Ex Coonawarra winemaker Paul Gordon now employed here too helps. On opening we have Deep Black ruby in colour with some purple rim at Dec 2023.. v/nice Again on opening we have ripe sweet black fruits showing with nice dark chocolate characters and some nice mint overtones too , oak is …

A bit tight when first opened but with a little breathing time it is starting to show some red and dark berries on the palate along with a light background chocolate flavor. Light vanilla wood with soft tannins and light but not disjointed acid suggest this will continue to develop in the cellar but pleasurable drinking now. Punching above its' weight in the value for dollars stakes, I give it 90+

{screwcap, 14%} Plenty of colour; not quite so much flavour. As so often, McLaren Vale trumps the variety; so there are chocolatey flavours, currants, vanilla. Medium-bodied, not unripe or too hot, but just a bit anonymous overall.

Not as good as the last bottle we had about 6 months back. Maybe in a bit of a dumb phase. Ok wine with flavours of sweet blackcurrant. Fine tannins and a medium length finish. A bit simple after the Howard Park Scotsdale. Not sure if this is worth 94 points though, as awarded by JH in his Top 100 wines list for 2004.