Hewitson The Ancients Shiraz 2020
- 95
- $50
- Drink by: 2022-2037
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Another cracking Barossa Shiraz from Dean and his team – that refrain is becoming a bit like a broken record, but a good one. Old vines with the grapes being a mix of whole berry and crushed. Cold soaking for a week and then three more on skins, before the best part of two years in seasoned French oak barriques. Deep, dark maroon. This wine is seriously dense with great concentration. We have that traditional chocolate with cloves, black fruits, leather and blackcurrants. Licorice and black olives emerge on the palate and, while dense, it retains poise throughout and offers serious length. A great example of a powerful Barossa Shiraz and it will be a huge hit for those CBD businessmen lunching with steak! It does reflect the vintage, the variety and the region well, but it really does need time. Best to leave it for four to five years and then drink over the following twelve to fifteen.
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.
