Brokenwood Hunter Valley Shiraz 2023
- 93
- $55
- Drink by: 2025-2035
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Maturation for this typically fragrant and elegant Hunter Shiraz was in French oak, 25% new, with 25% puncheons. The grapes hail from a range of famous vineyards – Graveyard, Oakey Creek, Mistress Block, Verona and Tallawanta. A purple/mauve colour here, the nose offers notes of spices and dried herbs, raspberries, milk chocolate and bay leaves with florals and red fruits throughout. This is almost as good as the Reds beating the ‘tahs. Seamless, with good acidity, the oak impact is minimal and well handled, and there are very fine tannins. This is a wine of immense length. So much to like here, a wine for enjoying over the next eight to ten 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.
