Alex Head The Contrarian Shiraz 2025
- 94
- $50
- Drink by: 2026-2036
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Another in Alex’s Contrarian series where he likes to experiment. With this one he has taken a small portion of the dry grown Shiraz from the Trial Hill Vineyard at Pewsey Vale, which sits at 480 metres above sea level, and was planted in the 1940s. He left 60 to 70% of the stems in the fermentation and the grapes underwent foot-treading over a couple of weeks. Maturation was in large, neutral oak, from France and Austria, for eleven months. Inky black maroon, as dark as Mordor, the nose revels in aromas of chocolate, mocha, mulberries, blackberries, coffee beans and cassis. Ripe and bold with a sleek texture and good length, the wine finishes with soft and velvety tannins. Absolutely delicious, it should stay that way for a decade or more, and there is even room for further improvement.
Ken was born and bred in Brisbane, Queensland. He had a non-trendy, perfectly happy childhood, in a family convinced alcohol meant instant condemnation to Hades. But a break fishing on the Great Barrier Reef, and some good wine, started a serious obsession that eventually took over. It did not stop Ken being chastised later for drinking Pol champagne, disgusted he’d drink anything made by a Cambodian dictator. Now, Ken mostly writes on wine, champagne and spirits for various newspapers, magazines and books, but is perhaps best known for his work in The Courier Mail. He also has a little sideline writing on cigars, fishing, travel and food. When not writing, fly-fishing for trout in NZ or bonefish on the flats of Cuba, travelling or smoking cigars, he is no doubt following a variety of sporting teams – the occasionally glorious Queensland Reds rugby, the dysfunctional Washington Redskins, the dodgy Arsenal and especially revels in the world restored to its proper axis with the return of the Ashes to their rightful home.
