Schubert The Gander Reserve Shiraz 2022
- 97
- $260
- Drink by: 2026-2051
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The Estate describes this as their “grande marque Barossa Valley Shiraz”, and it certainly is a cracking wine. The fruit is sourced from the top sites across the Estate vineyards. After fermentation there is a severe classification to identify the wines to be blended and included. Black in colour with a dark maroon rim, this is big, powerful, ripe and rich. A seriously concentrated wine which is still showing us plenty of oak, though there is good integration throughout and it provides additional vanilla and toasty notes. The more time you can give this the better, and it does open up in the glass continuing to reveal previously unforeseen qualities. On the nose we have notes of chocolate, mocha, cassis, plums, charcuterie, tobacco leaves, blackcurrants and dried herbs. The chocolate is very much of the darkest style imaginable. Generous with incredible length and a seductive texture, the wine is showing near perfect balance, through to satiny tannins. Enjoy this over the next twenty to twenty-five 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.
