Robert Oatley Signature Series McLaren Vale Shiraz 2020
- 92
- $24
- Drink by: 2022-2030
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The team has accessed fruit from across the Vale, including from Blewitt Springs, Willunga and McLaren Flats. The 2020 vintage was a low yielding one, but it has certainly gave us powerful wines. This wine was fermented on skins in a mix of both open and closed fermenters and then spent a year maturing in French oak. Deep, dark red, this is an alluring mix of red and dark fruits, mulberries, roast meats, warm earth and animal skins. It certainly exhibits some of that 20s burly concentration. The palate sees more dark berries emerge with good concentration, impressive lingering length and fine tannins plus a supple texture. Very attractive drinking now and over the next six to eight years.
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.
