Bethany Blue Quarry Across the Creek Vineyard Shiraz 2024
- 94
- $50
- Drink by: 2026-2041
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The fruit here comes from the team’s vineyard with the highest elevation (300 metres above sea level) and which they describe as their most windswept (but also their most picturesque). In other words, hardworking vines. The vineyard was planted in 1998. Maturation is in older oak hogsheads. Dark maroon with a crimson rim, the nose reveals notes of chocolate, black fruits, plums, cherries, smoked meats and very good oak integration. Sleek and slick on the palate, we see the emergence of notes of licorice, soy, bee fstock, cloves, blackberries and coffee grinds. This is very much at the dark and brooding end of the spectrum for reds. The wine has good focus and length and is not only very attractive drinking now, it should remain so for at least the next ten to fifteen years. Very good value.
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.
