Pontifex Grenache Shiraz Mourvèdre 2018
- 93
- $40
- Drink by: 2022 - 2027
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The world simply cannot have too many small, quality wine producers in the Barossa Valley and Pontifex is another to fit the bill. These two wines, from the cracking 2018 vintage, reveal an exciting new operation (okay, newish). This might be traditionally considered a Rhône blend although these days you could make a strong case for it being the quintessential Barossa blend. The three grapes were fermented separately in four and six tonne open-top fermenters for seven days with twice-daily pumpovers. A percentage of the Shiraz was whole bunch. After fermentation, the wine spent 20 months in second and third use French oak
barrels. The final blend was 60% Grenache, 30% Shiraz and 10% Mourvèdre. Deep maroon in colour with pleasing aromas of roast meats, tobacco leaf, dry herbs, raspberries and plums. This is slightly attractively rustic and appealingly flavoured. The palate moves more to dark fruits and mushrooms. Very good length here with fine tannins making this a delicious blend, worth chasing.
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.
