O’Leary Walker Clare Shiraz 2021
- 96
- $35
- Drink by: 2024-2039
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This superb Clare Valley Shiraz, which has been racking up the bling as they say in the classics, was sourced from two of the region’s top sub-regions, Armagh and Polish Hill River, with each parcel fermented discretely. Maturation was for two years in French oak, a quarter of it new, and it helps to come from such a stellar vintage. Gosh, this is an impressive wine. It drinks more impressively than many wines two or three times the price and will surely be in any conversation for best value wine of the year. Deep maroon hue, this offers such a seductively appealing nose. There is early complexity already evident, aromas of dried herbs, chocolate, cloves, aniseed, soy, coffee beans, blueberries and black fruits. The oak is immaculately integrated and the wine is seamless, supple with such silky tannins. This will help redefine the Clare Valley as one of the great regions for Aussie Shiraz. Impeccably balanced, a fine line of acidity, bright energy, very impressive length, this wine has everything. Wonderful stuff. Ten to fifteen years ahead of it, I see suggestions that one should attempt to refrain from drinking it now… good luck with that. Love it.
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.
