Greenock Estate Growers Reserve The Family Barrel Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2015
- 95
- $65
- Drink by: 2023-2027
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Fascinating to compare two such delightful examples of the Barossa at its best. For me, this offers a colour that is marginally fresher, with deeper reds, but as is so often the way, the preference in the end will be personal. There is but a whisker between them. It does seem that there might be more than a year between them, but then the decision falls to whether one enjoys developed reds or slightly fresher samples. Or both. Bright raspberries, coffee grinds, licorice notes and cloves topped with beefstock and bay leaves. This is supple, seamless, balanced and focused with good length. An exceptional effort from the Barossa. Silky tannins too and it has benefited from the time it has already spent maturing and has more ahead of it. Again, under cork with the weighty bottle.
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.
