Bob McDonald

9.5

One of the Hunter Valleys premium Cuvees honouring the legendary Maurice O’Shea. Very dark ruby - impenetrable in colour. Aromatics of sweet earth - very earthy - plum, red berry and dark chocolate - very Hunter Valley. Amazingly strong for a 27 year old wine. Very Rich, full bodied and concentrated for a Hunter Valley wine. I’ve commented on this before that there was a period of 10 plus years where HV wines were made to imitate South Australian wines - ripe and full bodied. This wine represents that style. Thankfully the current style is more medium bodied but nevertheless this is an outstanding wine with at least 10 plus years left in it. — 5 days ago

Danny O'Brien

9.2

Very nice and layered CDP, nose is a nice combination of red fruit, flowers and graphite. On the palate, the fruit hits first and then somewhat quickly gives way to the graphite/mineraly flavors, which last and develop on your palate in an interesting and pleasant way that avoids making me think I just licked a rock. Tannins aren't too powerful but what's there is grippy, could easily lay down for a few years and really develop. Overall this strikes a nice balance between approachable and interesting, easy to like for anyone who's into Rhone reds! — 5 months ago

MRM

9.3

A pleasant surprise — 3 years ago

Sam Friedland

8.9

Decanted for two hours. This time around was pleasant with soft tannins. — 4 years ago

Daniel Akers

9.0

Great value, easy sipping a pairs well with Italian food. Very pleasant, without being overly powerful or complex. — 5 years ago

Pierre Gourinchas

8.9

Pleasant but lacking depth. — 6 years ago

Matt Konopka

8.9

Picked up for $19 in VT, great fruit, well rounded bottle, lots of very pleasant red fruit.
Digging’ this one — 7 years ago

Sam Friedland

8.9

Very pleasant, fruit and mild tannins — 19 days ago

Sam Friedland

8.9

Pleasant, dry and gentle Rasberries. — 3 months ago

Sagee Aran

8.9

A medium body, bright red in color. Pleasant nose, mild. On the palate spices and bright red fruits.
Was a little off balance, maybe the specific bottle. — 8 months ago

Andy B

9.0

Light, fruity, super pleasant and drinkable — 3 years ago

Vino Joe

9.0

Solid. But following an Insignia it had nowhere to hide. Not bad but narrow. A bit too sweet and short. Wholly pleasant but so limited. — 5 years ago

MICHAEL COOPER DipWSET

Owner TomeVinos wine shops, WSET Level 3, Blogger www.spanishwinesandmore.com, blog.tomevinos.com

9.0

#semillon tart. Interesting #australia #huntervalley — 6 years ago

Jared O'Connell

9.1

This was a bottle the previous renters left at my parents house in the wine fridge. Unknown storage but it’s in pretty good shape. Nose has rose pedal, brambly fruit. Palette tart cran. Serious smooth tannin and acidity but pleasant. Undercurrents of bittersweet chocolate and leather. — 6 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

1999 vintage. Nice fill. Used a Durand. Solid cork with approx 50% saturation. Decanted and tasted after two hours. That decided Lynch-Bages medium heavy bod. Has dropped some, not all, of the overt primary fruit load. Pleasant spices and feminine characteristics easily noted and cataloged. Pretty harmonious now tho with a little chunkiness/tannic blessing as more of a fleeting kiss vs a big hug. Could easily go another decade in this ensemble. 6.14.26. — 2 months ago

Ross Bathgate

9.3

Paired with duck and absolutely perfect. So soft with sweet fruit still evident and such soft dusty tannins. Lovely. — 7 months ago

Alessandro Dalle Carbonare

9.7

Beautiful subtle aroma from Merlot makes it pretty. Its free spirit nose makes you feel what the wine is going to be about. Drinkable and fresh. Apparently missing weight but it doesn’t miss a bit all the way thru the tasting. The aftertaste is long and very, very pleasant after one minute. — 2 years ago

Shuhui Ng

9.3

Heavy bodied, mild tannins. Notes of plums, fresh mint, liquorice and coconut. So pleasant to drink! — 4 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.0

See several previous tasting notes for this wine. This was made back in the day when Hunter Valley reds had strayed from their medium bodied, savoury, sweaty saddle origins to being riper and more full bodied like a South Australian Red. This was declared in a speech by Chief Winemaker at the time, Jim Chatto, at a dinner I attended at the winery. Also plenty of oak still evident at 15 years of age. I prefer the original Hunter Valley style which Mount Pleasant has wisely reverted to utilising the wonderful old vine fruit at its disposal. Tasted again 35 weeks later on 26th March 2022. Nothing to add to the note here. A Hunter Valley wine trying to look like a South Australian wine back in 2006 with ripe fruit and oak. Thankfully HV reds have returned to the medium weight savoury long living style that Maurice O’Shea made in the 1950’s. — 5 years ago

Matt Sterr

9.0

A pleasant, varietally correct Merlot. Nice fruit, medium weight and polished on the palate. — 6 years ago