Pertaringa Understudy Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
- 94
- $25
- Drink by: 2022-2028
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This one is dubbed ‘understudy’ as it is ‘no second fiddle’. I’ll confess that I thought that was exactly what an understudy was. No matter. It is certainly a wine worthy of centre stage. It spent eighteen months in French hogsheads, 15% of which were new. Another cracking value red. Dark maroon in colour, we have flavours of black fruits, chocolate, tobacco leaf, leather, spices and dry herbs. A beautifully concentrated Cabernet, seamless in style, with excellent length. Balanced, lingering and finishing with satiny tannins. This is a terrific example of how good Cabernet from McLaren Vale can be in the right years and in the right hands. It will easily see five to six years and more in good cellars. Ridiculous value.
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.
