Curtis Octavian McLaren Vale Shiraz 2021
- 94
- $350
- Drink by: 2024-2036
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The Octavian (sounds a bit like a Marvel movie villain) Shiraz from McLaren Vale is the flagship of the Curtis portfolio and, as one would expect from a cracking vintage like 2021, drinking superbly. The team select six new French oak barrels and use them for their best fruit. For me, it is early days for this terrific wine and while it is already a joy to drink, give it a few years and the wine will look even better, and score higher. Attractive packaging with a deep maroon hue and good concentration supported by chewy tannins with exceptional length. The nose offers notes of cassis, aniseed, raspberries and chocolate, and there are flavours of black cherries on the palate. The intensity is maintained for the full length and the silky tannins tie things together beautifully. Should drink very well for the next eight to twelve 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.
