Pertaringa Undercover Shiraz 2021
- 94
- $26
- Drink by: 2022-2030
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Last vintage, I thought the previous release of this wine might be the bargain of the year. This one goes close again. Undercover is fast becoming one of my favourite reds for great drinking and exceptional value. The name comes from recognition that the McLaren Vale region supplied their best grapes to other districts for decades, where they contributed to so many cracking wines without due recognition – Langhorne Creek would be another region with a similar lack of credit.
The specific vineyards contributing here are found in Lower Tintara, Conte and Klaveniek. The juice went into small open batch fermenters before 15 months maturation in a mix of new and older French oak. The colour is a vibrant deep purple. The nose moves through an array of enticing aromas including cloves, florals, black olives and bitter dark chocolate. There is a wonderful plushness to the wine with notes of cassis, a hint of vanilla, coffee beans, chocolate and oodles of mocha on the palate. Seamless and supple, I’m sure that this could handle the best part of six to eight years in the cellar, but I wonder why you would not jump on to it now.
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.
