Kirrihill EB’s The Squire Clare Shiraz 2022
- 95
- $65
- Drink by: 2025-2040
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The team’s flagship Shiraz, the grapes are harvested from the oldest block on the Schrober’s Vineyard, not surprisingly known as the Old Schrober’s Block. It is dry grown and very low yielding, with 5% of 2024 fruit has been added. Maturation was in four-year-old French oak casks and the wine is under cork. A vibrant inky dark purple, the wine is still exhibiting considerable oak, though integration is proceeding well. The nose reveals notes of black fruits, chocolate, cold tea, graphite, beef stock, mocha, bergamot and soy. There is serious length here with good intensity for the full journey, finishing with chalky tannins. A muscular style which sees those chocolate notes really emerge to advantage on the palate. This will provide pleasure for at least the next fifteen years, longer in good cellars.
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.
