2023 Nick Spencer MDR Medium Dry Red, Southern NSW

MDR is a medium-dry red; a pitch-perfect blend of cabernet sauvignon, malbec and shiraz. The fruit comes from Gundagai and Hilltops, although no new oak adopted. So, in the glass, it’s all gorgeous fruit and fragrance from cassis, mulberries and black plums laced with dark chocolate that's studded with mint. There’s a savoury edge, too, a squid ink note, but cabernet is certainly in the driver’s seat. It’s fuller-bodied, with a succulence across the palate. Everything is brought together by fine, textural tannins and equally fine acidity. Impressive. Drink 2025 to 2033.

95 points Special Value Jane Faulkner for Halliday Wine Companion, September 2025

An old school ‘Australian Blend’ of Cabernet Shiraz (70%) and Shiraz (20%) with some Malbec (10%) for spice. The Cabernet and Malbec come from the Moppitty Vineyard in the cool Hilltops region while the Shiraz comes from Gundagai, 100kms to the south. A cacophony: Earth and pencil graphite, crushed kitchen herbs, cardamon pod, bay leaf, cigar butt, asphalt, cassis, bramble, boysenberry and nuances of vanilla bean paste. Holds your gaze (and palate) with intensity. The structural Cabernet allows the palate to stay in place long after a lesser wine would fall over. Velvety tannins are a wonderfully woven hall runner, studded with spice and purple/black fruit. The balance and depth are exemplary. Bargain. 

95 points Regan Drew for Wine Pilot, July 2025

Nick Spencer is one of NSW's most decorated winemakers and a longstanding advocate of the state’s still widely unknown southern regions. Since 2016 his eponymous label has become known for wines that stand for traditional and contemporary thinking alike, offering balanced flavours and a strong sense of regionality. Working to a negociant model, he sources grapes through long term relationships with growers in Hilltops, Gundagai and Tumbarumba.

The MDR (Medium Dry Red) is a nod to Australian clarets of the 50s, 60s and 70s that blended varieties across multiple regions in a quest to create beautiful and balanced wines ahead of shining a spotlight on a single variety or region. Hilltops Cabernet Sauvignon leads the way here, complemented by a smaller amount of Gundagai Shiraz and a bit of Hilltops Malbec to round things off.

The 2023 season got off to a late start in the southern regions of NSW, but the warm and dry weather of its latter half ripened a small but good-quality crop. The wines offer good balance of fruit and acidity.

Each variety was picked and fermented separately. All grapes were de-stemmed and fermented on skins for 14 days, then pressed to well-seasoned 500L oak puncheons and matured for 20 months.

The fragrant and floral nose shows generous aromas of blue and black fruits, and hints of bitter chocolate and aniseed, as well as some ferrous notes. The palate is juicy but savoury and medium to full-bodied, with a crunchy texture weaving through dark fruit flavours. Fine tannins hint at this being a good option for cellaring.

Australian dry reds are a delight at the table. Feast with barbecued king oyster mushrooms with truffle polenta, duck breast tobanyaki with sansho pepper and hatcho miso or galbi and aged kimchi.