Nightfall Lupus Merlot 2019
- 92
- $120
- Drink by: 2023-2033
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Merlot from Coonawarra may have had a little bit of a chequered history but it certainly has its fans. And over time, the region has proved as good as anywhere in the land for the variety. This spent seven days on skins, pressed directly to new barrels. Maturation was for two years in a seven year old barrel, though the oak certainly does not intrude here. Deep maroon hue. We have notes of plums and fruitcake, black fruits, shavings of cedar and hints of cloves. This is medium weight, but it does not quite have the intensity we‘ve seen with the Cabernets, which is no surprise. Fine tannins, decent length, this is a focused wine with a good future, at least six to eight years. Would step up even further with a little more intensity throughout.
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.
