Little Giant Single Vineyard Barossa Shiraz 2023
- 93
- $32
- Drink by: 2025-2033
Share
The fruit for this gem hails from the Light Pass sub-region of the Barossa Valley. Fermentation is in stainless steel tanks before a period of maturation of around nine months in a mixture of French and American oak barrels. The colour for this cracking Barossa Shiraz is an opaque purple magenta. There is a lovely vanillin oak overlay, but it is the chocolate and cassis which is to the fore. A wine of such appealing plushness, there is balance, good energy, a fine line of acidity, reasonably firm tannins and impressive length here. Along with the choc/cherry characters, the wine gives us notes of blackberries, plums and mulberries, coffee grinds and a hint of sour cherry on the finish. This will continue to provide pleasure for the next six to eight 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.
