Robert Oatley The Pennant Frankland River Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
- 94
- $105
- Drink by: 2024 - 2035
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The flagship red for the Oatleys hails from Block 12 of the fifty-year-old Justin Vineyard in Frankland River. Berries are sorted into small vessels for maceration and fermentation for four to six weeks on skins. 15 months in new tight-grained, low-toast French oak. The wine undergoes severe barrel selection. This vintage, just five barrels made the cut. 1,404 bottles. Deep red. The nose has an earthy and slightly feral note. This is cabernet walking on the wild side. Animal skins, undergrowth which cleans up on the palate. Good length, balance and well structured. Powerful, fine concentration, firm finish. A wine with a good future.
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.
