Bec Hardy Pertaringa Rifle & Hunt Cabernet Sauvignon 2023
- 96
- $45
- Drink by: 2026-2046
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The team have not named this wine in honour of some Downton Abbey-like hunt where gentlemen in tweed slaughter the resident population of partridge and quail. Rather, the reason is a little more prosaic. The property is on the corner of Rifle Range and Hunt Roads in McLaren Vale. No doubt the local poultry are very grateful. The wine spent nineteen months maturing in French oak hogsheads, 20% of which were new. Under cork. Black/maroon with a very dark blood red rim, the nose reveals aromas of tobacco leaves, cassis, chocolate, mushrooms, spices, beef stock and blackberries. There are hints of freshly turned earth as well. Excellent oak integration ties everything together and we can see the early signs of complexity emerging. The palate is all about chocolate. The wine is well structured with serious length through to very fine tannins. Absolutely delicious, there is much to love here. It will surely provide immense pleasure for at least twenty years. It would probably pair very nicely with either partridge or quail, if there are any left.
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.
