Angas King Clare Valley Shiraz 2016
- 93
- $45
- Drink by: 2024-2036
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Always a fascinating experience to compare and contrast wines – same grape/s, same maker, same vintage, same oak regime, same seals (diam here), but different regions. From this fine example from the Clare Valley, we can expect power, concentration but also some perfumes and finesse – and it delivers. The wine spent a year and a half in French oak. The colour here is near black. There is still quite strong evidence of oak, even after this time, but the integration has been deftly handled. The nose exhibits notes of cloves, soy, beef stock, charred meats, blackberries, chocolate and dried herbs. There is power on the palate, coiled and brooding, along with firm tannins and exemplary length. A wine for the long haul, to enjoy over at least eight to twelve years.
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.
