Hesketh Barossa Valley Negroamaro 2021
- 93
- $24
- Drink by: 2022 - 2024
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The Koonunga Hill sub-region in Australia’s Barossa Valley might be a long way from this Italian favourite’s traditional vineyards of Puglia in southern Italy, but it certainly seems to have found a second home here. Fruit was picked from the Kalleske family’s vineyards before fermentation in stainless steel for nine months, before the wine was transferred to “third-fill French oak hogsheads” for further maturation.
A terrific example of how one can step away from the usual suspects and traditional varieties to find some cracking wines of brilliant value with emerging grapes, especially those from Italy. A lovely cherry/crimson in colour, the nose offers an array of flavours – plums, florals, red cherries and tobacco leaf notes. Well structured with a supple and slippery texture, through to satiny tannins. Good focus. Notes of blueberries emerge on the palate backed by fresh acidity. This is one of the best Negroamaro’s I have seen from Australia, although granted there are not that many. Delicious and great value.
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.
