Paracombe Somerville Shiraz 2015
- 95
- $75
- Drink by: 2025-2035
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The name of this wine is a tribute to James Somerville, an early Paracombe pioneer who first planted vines in the region in 1903. The family is now the custodian of those vines. The wine spent three years maturing in new French oak. 312 cases made. Fabulous to see a wine with ten years already under its belt before release. Those who don’t have their own cellaring facilities or who want to explore just what an older wine can offer, should definitely be chasing this gem. The colour is a dark maroon with a magenta rim. The nose exhibits notes of chocolate, licorice, mocha, coffee grinds and dried herbs. There is good oak integration throughout and the palate sees the flavours move more to the dark plums and blackberries spectrum. Complexity is most definitely evident and there is good intensity through to the juicy finish. A wine of direction with sleek tannins and impressive length, this has at least another decade 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.
