Bec Hardy SA Shiraz 2021
- 92
- $18
- Drink by: 2022-2026
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The South Aussie designation immediately takes this wine away from the serious, ‘wine geek discussing terroir’ end of the spectrum. This is for drinking and enjoying. As such, it should offer terrific flavours and be good value. It delivers on both in spades. A very dark red, we have notes of cloves, dark berries, black olives, cold tea, coffee grinds and chocolate. The palate is supple and moves towards appealing plummy notes with good length and a flick of acidity to help balance things out. Full of flavour, this is simple but seductive and while it might age well for three or four years, I am not sure why you’d bother. This is delightful to drink now. And it is cracking value. A contender for bargain of the year.
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.
