Pertaringa Undercover Shiraz McLaren Vale 2023

In years past, some of our most famous regions have had their wines “supplemented” by contributions from other wine-growing districts, without any attribution at all. Today, label integrity prevents this, but it was very common, and widely accepted, in past decades. It meant that many regions did not get the accolades they deserved, perhaps none more so than McLaren Vale (Langhorne Creek also springs to mind). I remember being told by one Queensland producer, many years ago, that they were adamant that a large percentage of their production went to the fortified wines of Rutherglen. But I digress. The team here acknowledges the history of this practice with this wine, Undercover, recognising the practice. Here we have three vineyards from the region contributing, including the Lower Tintara vineyard, which was originally planted by Thomas Hardy in the 1880s. The wine spent more than a year maturing in a mix of new and older French oak. The colour here is a dark, vibrant purple. Coffee grinds, plums, dried herbs, soy, a touch of mocha, cocoa powder and cloves. The palate is compelling with its soft, seductive texture, seamless and plush with velvety tannins. The wine is neatly balanced and offers a lingering finish which never waivers in maintaining the intensity. Eight to ten years.

Ken Gargett

Contributor at Winepilot

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.

Wine writer and critic