Hewitson CASK 66 Shiraz Barossa Valley 2023
- 96
- $450
- Drink by: 2025-2045
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The name comes from the address of the winery, 66 Seppeltsfield Road. Every year, the team will see a really exciting batch of Shiraz – it may be from estate vineyards or from a top grower – which demands attention. It will spend time maturing in French oak, before a final barrel selection. The final wine is always very special. Under cork. The colour is an opaque magenta. The lifted aromatics are a touch thrilling and there are notes of plums, spices, chocolate, tobacco leaves, aniseed, black fruits and coffee grinds. The oak integration has been deftly handled. This is a class effort. The palate sees the emergence of notes of soy, cloves and blackberries. There is fine balance, impressive length and the finest of tannins. Wonderful stuff, which will surely drink beautifully for the next ten to twenty years. Barossa at its best.
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.
