Bec Hardy Belonging to the Hills Reserve Shiraz 2023
- 94
- $80
- Drink by: 2026-2041
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Serious McLaren Vale Shiraz here, maturation was for a year and a half in a combination of new and older French oak. The colour appears almost black, with a dark maroon rim. On the nose, we have aromas of dried herbs, root vegetables, cold tea, black fruits, soy, cloves, beef stock, licorice, bay leaves and leather, with a gentle touch of vanillin oak. There is bright energy and balance here and the wine is poised with good focus. Seamless in structure, there are sleek tannins and impressive length. The wine certainly has room to improve further over the next ten to fifteen years and will drink well during that period.
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.
