IN 2021 when death claimed Kevin Sobels at the age of 78, Australian winemaking lost a much-admired character and a 2014 Hunter Living Legend of Wine, but it's pleasing to see Sobels brand wines still being produced.
Kevin, a Sherlock Holmes-style deerstalker-hatted fifth generation member of a South Australian German immigrant wine dynasty, and his accomplished wife Margaret came to the Hunter 49 years ago.
They became trailblazing Upper Hunter winemakers at their Muswellbrook winery then in 1986 moved the operation to a vineyard and winery on the corner of Broke and Halls roads, Pokolbin.
In 2018 they sold the 22-hectare Sobels property with its five-hectare vineyard, winery, tasting rooms, cellar door and manager's residence for $7.3 million to Sydney-based property developer Romeciti.
The firm then foreshadowed a multi-million lifestyle resort and villas development for Romeciti customers and the general public.
That has not yet happened but Romeciti has maintained the Sobels wine business with former Drayton' Family Wines winemaker Edgar Vales at the winery helm since 2021.
Edgar has just released the $35 Sobels 2022 Hunter Valley Shiraz and 2022 Orange Cabernet Sauvignon and $50 2021 Cabernet-Shiraz at sobelswinery.com.au and the Pokolbin cellar door.
The 2022 Hunter shiraz is from pre-1900, dry-grown Drayton's Old Flat vineyard grapes. The 2022 Orange cabernet sauvignon comes from Wandoo vineyard on the slopes of Orange's Mount Canobolas and the 2021 cabernet sauvignon-shiraz is a blend of 52 per cent Wandoo cabernet-sauvignon, 28 per cent Hilltops shiraz from Briar Freeman's vineyard and 20 per cent McLaren Vale shiraz from Dog Ridge vineyard.
Edgar Vales was born to Portuguese parents in France, where the couple were then working. They later returned to Portugal and, living in Lisbon, the extended family made their own wine from grapes Edgar helped harvest.
When Edgar was 15 he and his parents migrated to Australia, where Edgar grew up in Rockdale and after school studied science and worked as an environmental chemist. In 1999, however, he took up a Charles Sturt University wine science degree and from there went to Portugal to work at Adega co-operative, one of the nation's largest and most innovative.
Returning to Australia, he worked in Clare Valley and then in the Hunter at First Creek, David Hook Wines and had a nine-year stint at Drayton's - from where he has become Sobels' winemaker and set up his Vales Wines brand.
WINE REVIEWS
JUICY PLUM SHIRAZ
FROM dry-grown grapes in Drayton's pre-1900-planted Old Flat Pokolbin vineyard, the 13.5% alcohol, bright garnet-hued Sobels 2022 Hunter Valley Shiraz has bramble aromas and juicy plum front-palate flavour. The middle plate shows Morello cherry, spice, pepper and savoury oak and earthy tannins play at the finish.
PRICE: $35.
FOOD MATCH: lamb mince patties and ratatouille.
AGEING: six years.
RATING: 4.5 stars
IDEAL FOR KEBABS
THE Sobels 2022 Orange Cabernet Sauvignon from Billy Mitchell's Wandoo vineyard on the slopes of Orange's Mount Canobolas displays 13.5% alcohol, deep garnet hues and bouquet garni scents. The front palate has zingy blackberry flavour, the middle palate blueberry, mint, herb and mocha oak and a chalky tannin finish.
PRICE: $35.
FOOD MATCH: doner kebabs and tabouli salad.
AGEING: five years.
RATING: 4.5 stars
VIBRANT DUAL MIX
A BLEND of 52% Wandoo cabernet sauvignon, 28% Briar Freeman Hilltops vineyard shiraz and 20% McLaren Vale shiraz from Dog Ridge vineyard, this Sobels 2021 Cabernet-Shiraz has 13.5% alcohol, purple tones and briar scents. Vibrant blackcurrant flavour features on the front palate and the finish has minty tannins.
PRICE: $50.
FOOD MATCH: roast pork loin with prune stuffing.
AGEING: seven years.
RATING: 5 stars
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