Purple Hands Old Vine Barossa Mataro Grenache Shiraz 2020
- 91
- $30
- Drink by: 2021 - 2028
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Expect this blend to be around half mataro and then a reasonably even split of grenache and shiraz. Shiraz from the same vineyard as the straight varietal they offer – Williamstown; mataro from vineyards around Williamstown and Vine Vale; and the grenache from their Zerk vineyard at Lyndoch with separate fermentation of each parcel. Whole bunch contribution will vary from varietal to varietal. Open fermenters, hand plunging thrice daily, time on skins before basket-pressing and then time in older French oak hogsheads and puncheons; the parcels left on lees for a period before blending.
The result for this fine vintage is a purple hued wine, soft and plush. Gentle red fruits, chocolate, coffee grinds, dry herbs, plums. Seamless with quite vibrant acidity, it is also ripe, soft and shows good length with a finish that lingers. A hint of a savoury cherry note emerges on that finish. Delicious now and should drink very well over the next three to four years and then sail along for much longer.
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.
