Pertaringa Over the Top McLaren Vale Shiraz 2023
- 93
- $45
- Drink by: 2024-2034
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The name refers to the team’s approach to this wine – to go ‘over the top’ in every way when making it. The fruit hails from two vineyards in the region, planted in 1970 and 1960 respectively. The soil in one dates back an impressive 11,700 years. The other even further, a whopping 650 million years. The two parcels were made discretely, then spending fifteen months maturing in a combination of new and older French oak puncheons. Near black in colour, this is an appealing savoury style with hints of leather, cloves, miso, chocolate and raisins. The palate sees much more focus on the chocolate, cassis, coffee beans and mocha aspects that the region delivers, a flick of oak tying everything together. Focused, lingering and linear, the wine will offer pleasure for the best part of the next decade.
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.
