2018 Estate GSM (Field Blend)

Huon Hooke (huonhooke.com)

92 Points - eep red/purple colour with a pepper, spice, meaty and dark berry bouquet, some blackberry and raspberry nuances, the palate rich and full, soft and rounded with ample drying tannins which are soft and ripe. Almost luscious. A wine of sweet, soft, succulent fruit charm as well as structure. 19/2/2019

Drink 2019 to 2031

QWine (www.qwinereviews.com)

93 Points - If you are yet to introduce yourself to Hayes Family Wines, I suggest you do so soon. Andrew Seppelt is producing some absolutely delicious wines. This Field Blend GSM is a belter. I couldn't stop at a glass or three. And it's that quality across the range which has everything pointing in the right direction.

The fruit was handpicked and co-fermented before maturing in third use French oak for eight months.

On the heavier side of medium bodied, it's a wine which just sang to me. Raspberry brownie, liquorice bullets, flashes of clove and earth. It bounds through the mouth with fine spices sprinkled over the top and they effortlessly tickle the mouth. This is a clever wine I could drink a lot of - and I did. A winner.

Drink now to five years.

Tuesday, 12 March 2019

2017 Estate GSM (Field Blend) - Caron and Ivan's Pick

Huon Hooke (huonhooke.com)

93 Points - Deep purple/red colour with a shy, chocolaty aroma and subtle black cherry notes. The palate is rich and lush in sweet ripe fruit: medium to full-bodied and smoothly-textured, with abundant ripe tannins. A very smart wine indeed. It's lovely now and will age well for many years. 17/3/2018

Drink 2018 to 2032

2019 Wine Companion (Campbell Mattinson)

95 Points - Old vine grenache, shiraz and mataro from Stone Well. All picked into a single bin; 300 bottles (only) were produced. It's a gorgeous mid-weight wine, svelte, ripe, flowing and fine, weight here, finesse there, length to seal the deal.

Drink by: 2028

QWine (www.qwinereviews.com)

91 Points - Carol and Ivan's pick - owner Brett Hayes seems to have his parents on the snips and buckets during vintage. A family project through and through. This the first release from the Estate vineyard in Stone Well. A field blend too no less - everything tipped into one bin. Handpicked and co-fermented with 10 months in second use French oak.

Straight up and down - what you see is what you get. A delicious and approachable GSM. The fruit glides through the mouth with equal parts of red berries, earth and spice all putting the shoulder to the wheel. The balance is just right too coming in at 13.8% alc. Asian spices and a dash of bitter cocoa tickle a long finish urging another sip. Thumbs up.

Drink now to five years. 3/4/2018

Tyson Stelzer (www.tysonstelzer.com)

92 Points - The first release of a harmonious and pretty GSM from old vines of the Hayes Family estate vineyard in Stonewell, to the tune of just 300 bottles, co-fermented in a single second use French oak barrique. The lifted raspberry and strawberry fruits of grenache are supported by the black fruit depth and structure of shiraz and mataro, culminating in a long and even finish backed by finely structured tannins.

Drink 2018-2020