Cape Landing Reserve Syrah 2020
- 95
- $45
- Drink by: 2023-2033
Share
The team see this wine as more akin to the best of the Northern Rhône, rather than a typical bold Aussie Shiraz. The grapes are sourced from a single vineyard and the wine spends time in varying formats of French oak, a percentage new. The colour is a vibrant purple maroon. Even with the aim to emulate the Rhone and the elegance of those wines, this wine does find it impossible to escape a touch of the Aussie-ness that provides big, full-flavours with our Shiraz. Good overall concentration with notes of mulberries, raspberries, chocolate, coffee beans and cassis, with savoury truffle and earthy touches. There is a supple texture, with seamless structure, a good flick of acidity, impressive length and very fine tannins. This has ten years ahead of it and is a superb example of Margaret River Syrah (or Shiraz, if you prefer).
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.
