Hewitson Old Garden Vine Mourvèdre 2022
- 93
- $90
- Drink by: 2026-2036
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The Old Garden Vineyard, planted in the Barossa back in 1853, is home to the oldest Mourvèdre vines on the planet. Ungrafted and pre-phylloxera, the Koch family have tended to these precious gems for coming up on a couple of centuries. There are just eight rows of this treasure in existence. Vinification saw the use of 100% whole bunches and maturation was for a year and a half in new French oak barriques. Under cork. An opaque maroon, this release is very much in the savoury style, with aromas weaving through notes of animal skins, dried herbs, beef stock, chocolate, coffee grinds, earthy notes, bay leaves, soy and cocoa powder. Supple in texture with very fine tannins, there is a line of good acidity and the wine should provide pleasure over the next ten years.
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.
