M Burton Shiraz 2023
- 95
- $80
- Drink by: 2025-2040
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The Long Rail Gully Vineyard at Murrumbateman provided the fruit for this cooler climate Shiraz. A tiny quantity of fruit from the Wallaroo vineyard, just outside Canberra, was included. Wild yeast fermentation, but what is rather astonishing is that the wine then spent around three hundred days “or so”, on skins. Again, just fifty dozen. Not your typical Shiraz, but an entrancing one. Deep crimson, there are notes of cherries, spices, herbs, plums, leather and cassis. Notwithstanding the impressive fruit flavours, the wine falls towards the savoury end of the spectrum. A supple, creamy texture with a fine line of acidity, silky tannins, excellent balance and serious length. Enjoy over the next ten to fifteen 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.
