Richard Hamilton Centurion Old Vine Shiraz 2020

A thrilling celebration of old age, low yields, great flavour concentration and McLaren Vale regional warmth and generosity. It’s hard to ask for more. Here, they bring aromatic intent rich in Asian spices, aniseed, black fruits, chocolate with background – quite discreet – toasty-mocha oak. Old vine small yields contribute intensity and potency in flavour on the palate. Tannins are smooth, compliant, bending to the fruit as well as enhancing structure before finishing long. In short, the Centurion offers a glimpse into the past – old vines immediately conjure up a strong mental picture – while remaining firmly in the present. It is only three years old in bottle age, after all. A long life awaits.

Jeni Port

Wine critic at Winepilot

Jeni Port is one of Australia’s top wine communicators. Based in Melbourne, Jeni created the first wine column in the (then) Sun News-Pictorial before moving over to The Age and becoming that paper’s longest-serving wine writer. Over the years she has written for most Australian wine magazines and these days calls WinePilot home. She is also a Tasting Panel member on the Halliday Wine Companion. She was named Wine Communicator of the Year and Legend of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival in 2014 and in 2018 Legend of the Vine. She is a founding board member of Australian Women In Wine and is the co-deputy chair of Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards and China’s Wine List of the Year Awards.

Wine writer and critic