Paracombe Somerville Shiraz 2014
- 94
- $70
- Drink by: 2024-2032
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Under cork, it is always a pleasure to see mature wines on offer, in this case a full decade under its belt. James Somerville was the first person to plant vines in the region back in 1903. The fruit is from a single vineyard, called the Drogemuller vineyard. The wine spent three years in new French oak. 312 six packs made. A black/maroon colour, quite an amazing colour for a wine of ten years. The nose, however, does give some indication of development and we have notes of leather, chocolate, cassis, axle grease and coffee grinds. Good intensity, the wine is generous and saturated in flavour with balance right through to the finish and very good length. This is delicious, cracking drinking now, and still has a good five to eight years plus ahead of 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.
