Dandelion Vineyards Firehawk of the McLaren Vale Shiraz 2019
- 96
- $60
- Drink by: 2021-2031
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This is the vineyard which Zar considers his best from the McLaren Vale region and the results in bottle certainly do not contradict this. It is located on an ancient ridge above McLaren Vale, the Willunga escarpment and the Gulf of St Vincent. Firehawks play the role of scarecrows for smaller birds and rabbits. After hand-harvesting, the bunches were crushed into open fermenters. A two-week ferment, then basket pressing into French barriques, of which a third were new before 18 months maturation. I found this to be an utterly entrancing example of McLaren Vale Shiraz from a top producer and fine year. Coalface black, the aromas are ripe, plush and intense. The immediate impression is of a cracking young McLaren Vale Shiraz at the top of its game. Chocolate, plums, mulberries, fresh leather, warm earth, black fruits and black olives. Supple, cushiony, even velvety texture. This is seamless with great length and balance. It might be seriously good now, but it really does need time to peak. A case in the cellar will make you very happy in a decade.
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.
