2023 Brokenwood Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz | 99 Point Hunter Valley Icon

🔥 99 Point Australian Icon | One of the Greatest Graveyard Shiraz Releases Ever

An Australian Shiraz legend — breathtaking purity, effortless power and extraordinary length

Vines planted in 1968. 99 Halliday. 98 Wine Front. One of Australia's great collectible wines.

99 Points – Halliday Wine Companion

98 Points – The Wine Front | 98 Points Ken Gargett | 98 Points Ray Jordan | 98 Points Shanteh Wale | 97 Points JamesSuckling.com | 97+ Points The Wine Advocate | 97 points The R Review 

Exceptional Hunter Valley Shiraz | Power, Purity & Extraordinary Finesse

“One of the great Graveyard releases — profound yet effortless, with magnificent fruit, ultra-fine tannins and the structure to evolve for decades.”

Tasting Notes

Appearance: Deep crimson-red with vibrant purple hues, immediately showing the youth, purity and energy of this exceptional vintage.

Aroma: Intensely fragrant with blackberry, raspberry, plum and bramble fruit, layered with violet, red spice, graphite, tobacco, earth, olive and subtle savoury complexity. Despite its concentration, there's nothing heavy or overripe about the aromatics.

Palate: This is where the 2023 becomes extraordinary. Medium-bodied in classic Hunter Valley fashion, yet carrying enormous depth and intensity. Layers of red, blue and black fruits flow across the palate with remarkable ease, supported by perfectly judged natural acidity and silky, ultra-fine tannins.

Finish: Exceptionally long, seamless and persistent. Dark fruit, spice and savoury Hunter characters continue through a finish of extraordinary balance and precision.

This is power without weight.

Critical Acclaim – 2023 Vintage

• 99 Points – Halliday Wine Companion
• 98 Points – The Wine Front
• 98 Points – Ken Gargett, Wine Pilot
• 98 Points – Ray Jordan, Wine Pilot
• 98 Points – Shanteh Wale, Wine Pilot
• 97 Points – JamesSuckling.com
• 97+ Points – The Wine Advocate

That is an extraordinary wall of critical acclaim.

Halliday's Toni Paterson calls the 2023 a benchmark for the Hunter Valley and a wine worthy of any serious collection. Gary Walsh at The Wine Front went even further, describing it as one of the finest young Shiraz wines he has tasted.

Could This Be the Greatest Graveyard Ever Made?

That's not marketing hyperbole.

Wine Advocate's Erin Larkin places the 2023 alongside the brilliant 2018, writing that the 2018 had been the finest Graveyard made to that point but suggesting the 2023 may eventually surpass it.

Brokenwood itself places the wine in the company of celebrated Graveyard vintages including:

1986 • 1998 • 2014 • 2018

That's remarkable company.

The Graveyard Vineyard – An Australian Icon

The story begins in 1968, when the Graveyard Vineyard was planted at Pokolbin in the Hunter Valley.

Today it covers approximately 15 hectares, divided into 11 distinct blocks, with the original Shiraz genetics preserved within the vineyard. Its heavy clay soils naturally produce low yields and intensely flavoured fruit.

The first wine labelled Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz appeared in 1983.

It subsequently became one of Australia's most recognised single-vineyard wines.

And its status has only grown.

Langton's 1st Classified

Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz was included in the inaugural Langton's Classification in 1991.

It has now been elevated to:

1st Classified

the highest tier of the current Langton's Classification.

That places Graveyard in the same elite classification tier as Australian icons including Penfolds Grange, Henschke Hill of Grace, Mount Mary Quintet and Wendouree Shiraz.

This isn't simply one of the Hunter Valley's great wines.

It's one of Australia's great wines.

Vineyard & Winemaking

The 2023 vintage was produced from extremely low-yielding old vines grown on the Graveyard Vineyard's heavy clay soils.

The season was challenging. La Niña brought Brokenwood extraordinary rainfall through 2022, but conditions eventually cleared and the old-vine blocks were harvested between 17 and 20 February 2023 in excellent condition.

The late harvest allowed the fruit to achieve superb tannin ripeness.

Winemaking included:

3-day cold soak

followed by:

4–5 day fermentation at 23–25°C

and maturation in:

100% French oak – only 15% new.

That last number is important.

This isn't a wine built around expensive new oak.

It's built around the vineyard.

The oak sits quietly underneath the fruit, allowing Graveyard's extraordinary character to remain front and centre.

13.5% Alcohol – Power Without Weight

One of the most impressive things about the 2023 is the alcohol:

13.5%.

That's a crucial part of understanding great Hunter Valley Shiraz.

This isn't Barossa Shiraz.

The wine doesn't need enormous ripeness or alcohol to create intensity.

Instead, Graveyard delivers:

Perfume • Savouriness • Fine Tannins • Natural Acidity • Length

The intensity comes from the vineyard and the old vines.

Hunter Valley Shiraz

Hunter Valley, New South Wales

Great Hunter Shiraz has a personality unlike almost anything else in Australian wine.

At its best, it's medium-bodied rather than massive, with:

Red & Dark Fruits

Earth

Leather

Spice

Olive

Fine Tannins

and remarkable longevity.

The 2023 Graveyard captures that regional identity beautifully.

James Suckling awarded it 97 points, highlighting the wine's balance, length, fresh blackberry fruit, silky finish and ultra-fine tannins.

Food Pairings

• Slow-roasted lamb shoulder
• Osso Bucco
• Dry-aged rib-eye
• Beef Wellington
• Venison
• Roast duck
• Braised beef cheek
• Wild mushroom dishes
• Mature hard cheeses

Brokenwood specifically recommends Osso Bucco or slow-roasted lamb shoulder.

Cellaring

This belongs in the cellar.

Ray Jordan gives the wine a drinking window through 2055, while Shanteh Wale sees at least another two decades of development ahead. The Wine Front lists 2028–2049+.

This is one of those rare Australian reds where buying several bottles makes enormous sense.

One for now.

One at 10 years.

One at 20 years.

And potentially beyond.

Why We Love It

This is not simply another highly rated Australian Shiraz.

Look at what you're getting:

99 Points – Halliday Wine Companion

98 Points – The Wine Front

98 Points – Ken Gargett

98 Points – Ray Jordan

98 Points – Shanteh Wale

97 Points – JamesSuckling.com

97+ Points – The Wine Advocate

Historic vineyard planted in 1968

Langton's 1st Classified

Only 15% new French oak

13.5% alcohol

Decades of cellaring potential

And your RRP:

$375.

That's particularly striking because Brokenwood currently lists the 2023 Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz at $500 per bottle.

At $375, this becomes a seriously compelling opportunity to buy one of Australia's great collectible wines.

The scores are phenomenal.

The vineyard is legendary.

The pedigree stretches back decades.

But what makes the 2023 really exciting is the possibility that we're looking at something even greater:

A future benchmark for Graveyard itself.

Powerful. Effortless. Silky. Profound.

The 2023 Brokenwood Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz is Hunter Valley Shiraz at the absolute highest level — a wine of extraordinary purity and refinement that deserves its place alongside Australia's greatest reds.

99 Halliday. 98 Wine Front. Four 98-Point Reviews. Langton's 1st Classified. $375 RRP.

👉 A genuine Australian icon and potentially one of the greatest Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz releases ever produced. Secure it for the cellar while you can.