2023 Nick Spencer Gundagai Light Dry Red

"Nick Spencer is one of the better winemakers in this country.”
- Gary Walsh

"Australian wine can be a brash place, but it still manages to provide harbour to some considered, thoughtful souls, of which Nick Spencer is one. He is the real deal, in short. His wines are more than wines. They are their grapes laid bare
- Campbell Mattinson

Inspired by the classic ‘Burgundies’ of 1950s–70s Australia, Nick Spencer’s Light Dry Red is a fresh, modern take on those elegant, medium-bodied Shiraz-Pinot blends that once defined the Hunter Valley. This is bright, aromatic, and built for effortless drinking, but with enough depth to keep things interesting.

A 50/50 blend of Shiraz and Pinot Noir, each variety was picked and fermented separately - 100% destemmed and fermented on skins for 14 days, before spending 12 months in old puncheons and amphoras. The 2023 vintage is silky, pure, and bursting with red fruit freshness.

Aromatically, it’s blueberries, red cherries, and spice, with subtle notes of cassis and earth adding dimension. The palate is supple and juicy, with fine, powdery tannins and a clean, mouthwatering finish. 

Complex yet carefree, serious yet smashable - this is modern Aussie red wine at its best.

95 points
"It’s a beauty, and perhaps more mid-weighted than light... It’s unencumbered, and the result is a delicious drink."
- Jane Faulkner (Halliday Wine Companion)

95 points
"Its varietal composition – pinot noir and shiraz – and its unashamedly svelte shape are a nod to the classic ‘Burgundies’ we made around the middle of the last century. Sometimes nostalgia is a noose, but here it’s a look back that takes us forward."
- Nick Ryan (Top 100 Wines of 2025)