Haselgrove First Cut Shiraz 2021
- 94
- $28
- Drink by: 2025-2037
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The First Cut range is designed to provide approachable and softer wines for enjoying with food. From a range of vineyards across McLaren Vale, fermentation is on skins for ten days with thrice daily pumpovers. Maturation is for sixteen months in French oak, 20% of which was new. A vibrant maroon colour, this is well crafted and richly flavoured. A typical and typically good McLaren Vale Shiraz, with notes of chocolate, coffee grinds, blackcurrants, herbs, warm earth, beef stock and bay leaves. A supple texture, although there is weight and density here, along with balance, focus and length, finishing with sleek tannins. So much to enjoy here, it will provide pleasure for the next dozen years. Great buying.
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.
