Lindeman’s Pyrus 2018

The urban myth (and remember that some urban myths just might have a basis of truth) about this wine was that way back in the 80’s, Lindeman’s entered a very fine wine in the Melbourne Wine Show – in those days much of the judging including the famed Jimmy Watson trophy was of unfinished samples. Lo and behold, this particular wine got up and won the big one, the Jimmy! It meant Lindeman’s had to scramble desperately to give the wine a name and they came up with Pyrus. All this was, of course, all above board at the time. Who knows if it is true but it sounds better than the usual pragmatic explanations we get.

A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 5% Malbec, all from the Nursery Vineyard in Coonawarra, this wine spends time in French oak. It is an even deeper purple than the Limestone Ridge and I just love the aroma here. Plush, grapey (yes, of course grapes should smell grapey but I hope you know what I mean), blackfruits, spices, blackberry jelly, chocolate. This wine has more finesse than its siblings and there is power but elegance too. With good acidity, fine tannins and excellent length, this is one of the best Pyrus releases in ages.

Ken Gargett

Contributor at Winepilot

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.

Wine writer and critic