Paracombe Adelaide Hills The Reuben 2018
- 93
- $27
- Drink by: 2025-2035
Share
Always a pleasure to see wines which have been held back for ageing before release (and worth noting that this wine, a fraction of the price, has spent more time in the cellar before release than either the latest Grange or Hill of Grace). The Adelaide Hills wine is a Merlot dominant blend (50%) with Cabernet Sauvignon (22%), Cabernet Franc (21%), Malbec (6%) and Shiraz (1%). Around 2,000 dozen made. An inky dark maroon hue, the nose, delightfully aromatic, offers notes of violets, bay leaves, dried herbs, sage, aniseed, graphite and black fruits. This is bright and fresh, well balanced and with sleek tannins, before a long and lingering conclusion. The palate sees the emergence of notes of blueberries. This is fabulous value and will drink beautifully for the next eight to ten years. A winner!
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.
