There's never very much of it around but Hunter Valley Shiraz commands respect, as much for its personable regionality as its esoteric, epicurean appeal. Dr Lindeman planted his first Shiraz in 1843, labelling it Cawarra Claret for export to Europe and the Empire, where it claimed honours at the prestigious competitions of London and Paris. The legacy of some great old vineyards endures, crafted to the timeless Hunter Valley style, elegant with savoury fruit over a structure of lithe tannins, cosseted by a veneer of refined and polished oak.