Brokenwood Oakey Creek Vineyard Semillon 2019
- 95
- $66
- Drink by: 2022-2035
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A warmer year in the Hunter but one which gave us many wonderful wines. We won’t know for a few years, but the early mail is that their ILR (their top aged Semillon) from 2018 is likely to be from the Oakey Creek Vineyard, so that gives you an idea of how special the vineyard is (if there is mail on what might be the ILR for 2019, I have not received it). And how well the wines can age, as enjoyable as this wine might be now. Pale straw in colour, there is good intensity of dry hay, ginger, spices, lemon grass, citrus – lemon and grapefruit – and dry herb aromas. Bright with that thrilling fine line of acidity, it is offering superb drinking now, but has easily a decade and a half ahead for those with more patience.
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.
