Hewitson Wines
Reviews & Articles
By Wine
Old Garden Mourvèdre 2007
"a comet-like trail of earthy flavour"
Nick Stock, Sumptuous on Jan-2010
The sanguine charms of Mourvèdre (aka Mataro) are on full show in this super old vine bottling. Dark plum and date flavours run amidst flecks of tarry regional characters - these tannins roll on seemingly without end, fading gently and leaving a comet-like trail of earthy flavour in their wake
Taste deluxe
Tony Love, The Advertiser on Nov-2009
Hewitson 2007 Old Garden Mourvedre
"Crafted from century and a half old Barossan original plantings this is a glorious expression of the concentration, studied ripeness, precision and forthright character of venerable vines, from its complex fragrance to finely structured finish.
Barossa Valley 14.5% 95 points $70
James Halliday Rates Hewitson Old Garden 96 points
The Weekend Australian - James Halliday on Nov-2009
2007 Hewitson Old Garden Barossa Valley Mourvedre
96 points $70
“this balanced, structured wine will evolve” 92 points
Jay Miller, Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate on Oct-2009
92 points
The 2007 Mourvedre Old Garden was sourced from a vineyard originally planted in 1853. Dark ruby-colored, it displays a perfume of damp earth, underbrush, smoke, mocha and blueberry. Smooth-textured, layered, and potentially complex, this balanced, structured wine will evolve for several years and offer a drinking window extending from 2012 to 2022. next 2-3 years.
2007 Old Garden Mourvedre - 93 points
Josh Raynolds, Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar on Sep-2009
Deep ruby. Vivid aromas of raspberry, cherry-cola, fresh rose, incense and minerals. Lively, finely etched red berry flavors are reminiscent of New World, warm-climate pinot, with candied floral and mineral notes adding complexity. Sweet and seamless on the finish, which strongly echoes the raspberry and floral notes. There's no way that I'd have guessed this to be mourvedre. These vines were reportedly planted in 1853.
07 Old Garden "Deep, intense and controlled with terrific focus"
Ray Jordan, The West Australian on Sep-2009
Score 92/100
The fruit comes from the old mourvedre vineyard in the heart of the Barossa. It has a beautiful sweetness balanced with a slightly dry cherry and savoury character. Has had all-new French oak for about 12 months and yet there is not a bit of oak in excess, such is the balance. Deep, intense and controlled with terrific focus.
07 Old Garden - 96 points “Equal top Australian wine of it’s class”
James Halliday, Wine Compendium/ Australian Wine Companion on Aug-2009
96 points
Bright and clear colour and hue; a fragrant bouquet leads into an extremely finely boned and structured palate, a quiet statement of superiority from 150-year-old vines.
Download the 'Shiraz and Family" list (JPG: 244 kB)
Old Garden “one of 5 local wines to drink before you die”
Nick Stock, Sumptuous on Aug-2009
The oldest Mourvèdre (aka Mataro) vines in existence, we think. They make a soulful, deeply-tannined wine that packs mouth-coating plum and spice flavour. Old Vine poise throughout.
download review (JPG: 180 kB)
07 Old Garden "The oldest mourvedre vineyard in the world produces gorgeous wine"
Sally Gudgeon, The Sunday Age on Jun-2009
The oldest mourvedre vineyard in the world produces gorgeous wine. It's perfumed, complex and full of flavour and power, with a long, savoury finish. Serve it with eye fillet.
Sally Gudgeon. Sunday Age
21 June 2009
07 Old Garden “Possibly the best wine I've tasted under this label”
Gourmet Traveller Wine on 23-Jun-2009
96/100 , 5 stars
Possibly the best wine I've tasted under this label. It's voluptuous, silken textured, supple and rounded, loaded with dark fruits flecked with spices, herbs and dark chocolate. Utterly delicious. Drink 10+ years.
Huon Hooke, Gourmet Traveller Wine, June/July 2009
07 Old Garden “brooding and approachable”
Nick Stock, WBM100 on Jun-2009
Seriously old vines here, we're talking 1853 - the oldest Mataro vines in the world! Lighter colour and some earthy fragrance, it makes a sanguine impression. Ripe. deep, mouth coating savoury plum and date fIavours, plenty of acid kicks in amid lowing tannins. Juicy finish. with some tarry flavour, this is both brooding and approachable.
93 points
07 Old Garden “like a boiled-down essence of the fruit and vineyard”
Ralph Kyte-Powell, The Age Epicure on Jun-2009
Wine of the Week
"Mourvedre is one of the "Rhone" red varieties, but it has long been a part of Australia's wine scene, where for most of its history it was known as Mataro. As a blending variety it adds its own robust personality to shiraz and Grenache, but in recent years a few straight mourvedres have arrived on the market. Made from vines planted in 1853 by one Fredrich Koch, this hearty example opens with plum, blackcurrant and minty notes, as well as savoury dusty, tarry, meaty, old-vine complexity. It tastes concentrated, rather like a boiled-down essence of the fruit and vineyard, and it has a supple, complete feel in the mouth, with a long dry finish marked by perfectly balanced fine-grained tannins.
Aging? Yes, two to 10 years
Food ideas Rump steak; corned beef and cabbage.
Stockists include Rathdowne Cellars, Carlton North; Strathmore Cellars
Five star
Ralph Kyte Powell
Epicure, The Age
Tuesday, 2 June 2009
Download review (JPG: 65.4 kB)
07 Old Garden Mourvedre “Treasured vines and a treasured wine”
Campbell Mattinson, The Big Red Wine Book on Jun-2009
"It's made from mourvedre vines planted in 1853, which makes them some of the rarest vines in the world. Naturally, the grapes they grow are prized.
Treasured vines and a treasured wine. OK, so the oak is a bit toffee and sweet (we'd rather it was just a bit less), but that leathery, blackberried fruit power gains momentum as it travels across your tongue, the breaks then gently applied by fine-grained tannins. Superb-quality wine".
Drink 2012-2018.
Value Three drips
Score 94
Campbell Mattinson and Gary Walsh
The Big Red Wine Book 2009/10
07 Old Garden "Let's not mince words. This is one of Australia's greatest red wines."
Gourmet Traveller Wine on Apr-2009
"Let's not mince words. This is one of Australia's greatest red wines. From an ancient block of mourvédre vines planted in the 1850s (a century-and-a-half ago!) and from a particularly low-yielding drought year, the nobility of the wine comes shining through. There is amazing concentration and length, but it's not a huge blockbuster: cinnamon oak and dried herbs and a little blackcurrant lead onto a lithe, spicy mouthful of earthy red wine, finishing with fantastically fine tannins." Max Allen
07 Old Garden - 96/100 “Utterly delicious; a great wine.”
Huon Hooke, The Sydney Morning Herald, Good Living Magazine, April 7 2009
96/100
Possibly the best wine I've tasted under this label. The outstanding '07 is voluptuous, silken textured, supple and rounded, loaded with dark fruits flecked with spices, herbs and dark chocolate. Utterly delicious; a great wine. Now to 10+ years. 96/100. Food Aged hard cheeses.
07 Old Garden - 95 points "...Dial M for Mourvedre..."
Gary Walsh, The Wine Front on 17-Mar-2009
95 points
Plenty of mocha and spice oak (good oak mind you), a brazil nut earthiness, sweet plum and bramble fruit with a tangy edge. It's medium bodied, fresh and dynamic with a firm but fair tannin structure - nothing clunky or chunky like many a Mataro. Long and clean on the finish with a spicy aftertaste. A balanced and highly desirable wine - something a little bit different too. Dial M for Mourvedre.
Rated : 95 Points
Tasted : Mar09
Alcohol : 14.5%
Price : $70
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2011 - 2020+
07 Old Garden - "Outstanding...surely it's a contender for the World's Best Mourvèdre"
Winewise, Volume 24, Number 6, February 2009
Outstanding
"Every year when we taste this wine we marvel at its amazing balance. The intense plum/dark berry fruit is very fresh and carries a hint of varietal earthiness or graphite. Mourvèdre tannins are often on the chunky side, but that's certainly not the case with this gem of a wine. Surely it's a contender for the World's Best Mourvèdre."
