Hastings River, NSW(2)

Wines

Chardonnay: Chardonnay dominates plantings in the Hastings River and does well.  The style is not unlike a more expansive version of that of the Hunter; rich and generous in a peach and tropical fruit spectrum.  It lends itself to manipulation in the winery and to the expansive use of oak.  As might be expected, it matures relatively quickly but the wines from drier, better vintages can hold their peak for several years.

Semillon: The thin skins and large berries of Semillon make it especially vulnerable to the effects of vintage rain.  As in the Hunter, the saving grace is the unusual ability of the Semillon to produce excellent wine at lower than usual sugar (and hence alcohol) levels of around 10 degrees Baumé. Thus early picking is the appropriate response, for the wines show many of the characteristics of, and similar development to, those of the Hunter. As with Chardonnay, weight and intensity can be diluted in high yielding years.

Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot: Vintages such as 1991 and, to a lesser extent, 1993 show what can be achieved with these varieties (and also Shiraz).  The resulting wines are soft and quite fleshy, with abundant berry and earth flavours. Merlot, too, can be successfully made as a single varietal, though it is sometimes seen as a cross-regional blend.

Chambourcin: To the trained eye the intense purple colour of Chambourcin immediately signals its genetic ancestry and gives the wine a second use as a blend component where colour is thought necessary by the winemaker.  The flavour of Chambourcin is pronounced.  In its youth, it falls into the black cherry and plum range with occasional slight spicy and gamey overlays.  As a young, fresh wine it is among the best examples of hybrids produced anywhere in the world.