Allegiance The Fighter Hilltops Tempranillo 2024
- 93
- $30
- Drink by: 20252035
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From a single vineyard in the Hilltops region of NSW, this is a cracking example of how well Tempranillo can do in this country. Seven months maturation in stainless steel, this is made in a fresh, joyful style which the Spanish might call Joven. Delicious drinking. A gleaming maroon purple with notes of black cherries, blackberries, delicatessen meats, chocolate and dried herbs weaving through the nose. A wine with some refinement, as well as some hedonistic pleasure to it, it is taut, bright and with sleek tannins and good length. The palate gives us more notes of licorice and vegemite. This should continue to drink well for a decade, though there seems no real reason not to enjoy it much sooner. Like this a lot.
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.
