The intensely perfumed, sumptuous and seductive Brokenwood Graveyard articulates the very best of Hunter Shiraz. It is arguably the Hunter Valley's greatest red wine of the contemporary era. The east-facing Graveyard vineyard, first planted out in 1968, was once earmarked in 1882 as the Pokolbin cemetery but this did not eventuate. First made in 1983, Graveyard Shiraz is a meticulous classification selection of the best parcels, mostly from the oldest plantings.

With no release in 2010, the 2011 was a welcome return of the Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz.The 2010 calendar year ended at just over 900mm, with the wettest month being November at 156mm. The valley experienced a cool, dry December and January 2011 followed suit with only one day above 40C on the 2nd January.
Further hot weather struck around Australia Day and there was some leaf burn. In a bizarre twist, the Hunter Valley was irrigating madly while most of Australia was under water. Red harvest commenced on the 2nd of February and was complete on the 6th of the same month.

All hand picked fruit and processing started with a 4 day cold soak then 4-5 day ferment at 26 to 28C. Three tonne open fermenters used enabling hand plunging twice per day. Pressed off and run to oak and the malolactic fermentation in barrel. For this wine 100% French, including 10% larger format (300L) puncheons, approximately 40% new of the total oak.

Typical Hunter Valley dry red colour with mid density and young red tints, the standard for this wine as it is never ‘dense black’. Fruit characters are in the red savoury spectrum, almost cherry compote. These follow on to the medium bodied palate with plenty of sweet fruit.