Curtis Martins Vineyard McLaren Vale Shiraz 2020
- 96
- $150
- Drink by: 2022-2032
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This wine is part of a limited series of McLaren Vale Shiraz from the Martins Vineyard and for me, perhaps the most impressive in the range from the Curtis Family – which is saying something as it has plenty of competition. Vibrant purple in colour, this offers a lovely seductive nose, which is deeply flavoured with blackberry notes, plums, boot leather, bergamot, black cherries and spices. Hints of oak but melding well. Dense in structure though well balanced at all times, this is very long and has satiny tannins in abundance. It should sail through a decade in the cellar, though is drinking well now. While it certainly has some of the power of the 2020 vintage, and will go the distance, this is still more than enjoyable now, which is something that not all of the ’20 wines can claim. Simply a cracking McLaren Vale Shiraz.
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.
