Churchview The Bartondale Shiraz 2020
- 95
- $70
- Drink by: 2024-2039
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A superb example of how good Shiraz can be in Margaret River. Indeed, a wine which raises questions as to why Marg River Shiraz is not held in even higher regard. An appealing dark maroon, the wine offers gorgeous aromatics of cassis, violets, chocolate, cigar boxes, spices, soy, licorice and mocha. Hints of cold tea are intertwined throughout, creating a welcome modifying effect. The oak is beautifully integrated, while the structure is both seamless and focused, with very fine-grained tannins, excellent balance and impressive length. A wine for enjoying over the next ten to fifteen 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.
