Ox Hardy Slate Shiraz 2021
- 96
- $80
- Drink by: 2023-2053
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From the Moreton Bay block in the Upper Tintara Vineyard in the Blewitt Springs sub-region, this is the fourth release of this wine. It was fermented in the old slate fermenters, which were built back in 1863 (they fell out of use in 1927, but Andrew Hardy restored one in 2018). This was from the winery used by Andrew’s great-great-grandfather. The fruit was hand bucketed into the fermenter, regularly hand-plunged, then bucketed back out before pressing into barrel, 20 months in French oak. Just 4,900 bottles made of this superb Shiraz. Dark maroon. The nose is all chocolate, cassis, cigar box, tobacco leaves and blackberries. There is good complexity here, and knife-edge balance while exhibiting such richness and a supple texture, seamless and utterly gorgeous before an extremely long finish. Everything is in balance to ensure a very long future, at least twenty years, but this is so good now, so hard to imagine much will be left by then.
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.
