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MAURICE O'SHEA LEGACY LIVES ON
18/7/2010
By John Fordham
More than half a century after his death, the remarkable contribution the legendary Maurice O’Shea made to the Hunter Valley wine industry lives on.
O’Shea, who earned his winemaking stripes at the University of Montpellier and later became one of its frontline lecturers, established the Mount Pleasant vineyard at Pokolbin in 1921, soon after his return from his French sabbatical.
The business was eventually sold to McWilliams, but the eminent technician remained as the brand’s ambassador until his untimely death from lung cancer in 1956.
The immense legacy he left behind is captured in the release of two new super-powered Mount Pleasant reds from vineyards O’Shea established during his star-studded regime as arguably the Hunter Valley’s most formidable winemaking figure.
The 2006 Mount Pleasant Old Paddock & Old Hill Shiraz ($39) hails from vineyards planted in 1880 and 1921 respectively, the latter by O’Shea himself. The 2006 Mount Pleasant Rosehill Shiraz ($33) was produced from fruit grown on the Rosehill vineyard that the master craftsman planted in 1945.
Both wines have been superbly constructed by Phil Ryan, who as Mount Pleasant’s chief winemaker since 1985, is only the third person to have been handed the custodianship of this famous McWilliams-owned label.
Being from low-yielding vines, the Old Paddock & Old Hill, first released in 1967, delivers a remarkable depth of rich, sweet and lingering flavours that are just begging to be enjoyed. A Hunter Valley Wine Show gold medal winner, the single vineyard Rosehill shiraz, which debuted in 1984, has a more medium weight structure pointing to a healthy cellaring future.
“There’s something quite captivating about single vineyard wines,” remarks Ryan. “They’re an expression of a particular site that is completely unique to them”.
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Footnote: Want to improve the quality of your wine in seconds? The Nuance Wine Finer aerator ($69.99) will do the trick, guaranteeing noticeable improvements in bouquet, flavour and finish. Visit www.littledale.com.au for details.
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2009 De Bortoli Windy Peak Pinot Grigio ($14). Refreshing, easy-drinking pear/mineral flavours showcase the King Valley’s suitability to this popular variety.
2008 Katnook Founder’s Block Cabernet Sauvignon ($20). Its rich, generous and balanced flavours explain why it’s the Coonawarra winery’s No. 1 seller.
2008 Logan Weemala Shiraz Viognier ($18). Rich, silky and spicy red from Orange in which all flavour components are in perfect harmony and balance.
The Sunday Telegraph, July 18, 2010