End of an era Lindemans Hunter Valley Shiraz
Tuesday, April 2, 2019 in News

Reserve Bin 1400 Ben Ean Vineyard Shiraz, Hunter Valley 2014
Lindeman’s Hunter Valley was established in 1843 by Dr Henry Lindeman. Since the early 1950s, the Lindeman’s Hunter Valley Shiraz wines feature a unique four-digit Bin number. The first two digits represent the vintage year and the last two identify the wine style. There will be no 1500 series. It all ends here.
In the 1950s, 60s, 70s and beyond, Lindeman’s Hunter Valley had the reputation of being a nursery for Australian winemaking talent. The legendary Karl Stockhausen made Hunter Valley Burgundy (when we called it such) or Shiraz that captured the essence of the region.
Rare Release Bin 1410 Ben Ean Vineyard Shiraz, Hunter Valley 2014
Hunter Valley Legend Karl Stockhausen
Karl Stockhausen began life in the wine industry as a labourer at Lindeman’s in Pokolbin in the Hunter Valley. From there, he worked his way up to become winemaker and manager of the famous Ben Ean winery. Along the way, he nurtured some of Australia’s greatest winemaking talents and became one of the country’s most awarded winemakers in the process. A contemporary of Max Schubert (Penfolds) and Maurice O’Shea (Mount Pleasant), Stockhausen’s belonged to a generation of intrepid and enterprising winemakers who set the foundation of the modern Australian winemaking and still cast a long shadow today.
Bin 1403 Shiraz, Hunter Valley 2014
The Famous Ben Ean Winery
For those of a certain vintage, Ben Ean is a name that will conjure images of Hills Hoists, back garden barbeques and men wearing feathered mullets. In the 1970s, Ben Ean was one of the few wines to be advertised on television (Ben Ean Moselle) in Australia. It rode a wave of new aspirational living that moved working-class Australians away from the monoculture of drinking beer. As aspirational Australians move on to more premium wines in the 1980s, the popularity of Ben Ean faded. Treasury Wine Estate sold the business to the McGuigan and Peterson family who are redeveloping the brand. While 55ha of the Ben Ean vineyards were purchased by Usher Tinkler.
But all good things must end and so it is true for Lindeman’s in the Hunter. It’s also true for these wines. You’ll no doubt see the odd Bin 1400 and 1410 in the future at auction but the Bin 1403 is likely going to be poured straight into glasses. It is simply one of the most accessible wines we’ve ever offered. Each of these three limited, end-of-an-era wines is a thirst-slaking, terroir-focused Shiraz.
Explore the Lindeman’s Hunter Valley range now.

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