Haselgrove The Ambassador Single Vineyard Shiraz 2019
- 96
- $90
- Drink by: 2022-2032
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The ambassador in this case is the former highly respected curator of the Adelaide Oval, Les Burdett OAM. If you are not a cricket fan, ask someone. If you are, no introduction necessary. He must be very proud to have such a wine named after him. 3,024 bottles only. Proceeds go to Variety, the children’s charity. Do you really need any other reason to buy a bottle? From estate vineyards at McLaren Flat from vines planted in 1972. Crushed without destemming to open fermenters for three days cold soaking under gas. Eight days on skins with regular pumping over, thrice daily. Maturation in a mix of oak for 18 months. Dark maroon in colour, this is seriously concentrated and yet delightfully perfumed. Spices, black fruits, chocolate, coffee grinds, aniseed and woodsmoke, this is a classic McLaren Vale Shiraz bursting forth from the glass. Good acidity and superb length, with fine balance and a seamless and supple palate. A clean, tight and intense finish with ten years plus ahead of it. This is textbook.
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.
