Hatch McLaren Vale Vesey Shiraz 2022
- 96
- $60
- Drink by: 2023-2035
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This wine was named for Chris Hatcher’s great-grandfather, Alf Vesey. Alf started working at Penfolds way back in 1883 and continued on for an incredible 69 years. Of those 69 years, he was their Master Winemaker for 47 of them. While he was there, he mentored a young bloke who went on to do okay – Max Schubert. The fruit for this wine was fermented on skins in small open top fermenters, for five to ten days. A dense vibrant purple, the wine has gorgeous aromas which simply leap from the glass. Blueberries, mocha, spices, coffee beans, dark chocolate and bay leaves. This is rich and ripe and more chocolate flavours emerge on the palate. Generous in style, indeed opulent, with a seductive and soft texture, silky tannins and a long, lingering finish. Notes of coffee grinds and dry herbs then emerge towards the end of the palate. This will easily age and improve for eight to twelve years. Love it.
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.
