Heirloom Shiraz McLaren Vale 2022
- 93
- $40
- Drink by: 2024-2034
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From low yielding vines in McLaren Vale, the wine sees bunch sorting, wild yeasts, hand plunging and sixteen months in a mix of new and older French and Bulgarian oak barriques. An opaque black cherry colour here, the nose offers a mix of savoury notes, including; leather, black fruits, undergrowth, cloves, espresso and dark chocolate. A burly, powerful and concentrated style, with good acidity and fine tannins, backed by serious length. A good decade ahead of it. Probably not your first choice if a delicate Pinot is your thing, but if bold and forceful is your preferred style, you’ll love it. And let’s face it, if a delicate Pinot is your thing, you are not shopping in the McLaren Vale Shiraz aisle.
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.
