Greenock Creek Marananga Village Shiraz 2018
- 98
- $120
- Drink by: 2026-2046
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Always intriguing to see wines of age, which have been matured in winery cellars before release. This wine hails from one of the great Barossa vintages, 2018. The vineyard is in the Marananga sub-region, opposite the Apricot Block. Maturation was for two years in oak barrels, 80% of them American and the remaining 20% French. This is a bit special. Under cork. Dark maroon with a purple rim, the benefit of those extra years is immediately apparent. This is beautifully aromatic, balanced and complex with the aromas weaving through notes of black fruits, cassis, blueberries, chocolate, aniseed, plums, smoked meats, kirsch and dried herbs. It is exquisitely balanced with a line of juicy acidity running the length. And it is extremely long and persistent. Finishing with silky tannins, this is stunning and could easily handle another twenty years in the cellar – theirs or yours.
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.
