Silkwood Estate The Walcott Pemberton Malbec 2018
- 90
- $30
- Drink by: 2021 - 2028
Share
Always fascinating to see what crosses the tasting bench – it gives an early insight into just what the hot grapes are. And lately, there has been a pleasing increase in malbec. This is a single vineyard example from the Western Australian region of Pemberton and looks perfectly at home there. It spent 15 months in French oak, 25% of which was new.
The colour is a deeply vibrant purple. This is a well structured wine with flavours of plums, warm earth, mulberries, chocolate and some briary notes. There are also hints of salami and bacon fat. There are firm and powerful tannins here too. This good grip extends on the very long finish. Mid-weight intensity, lots of flavour here, especially chocolate, which just keeps emerging. Youthful but it should age very well for at least 6 to 8 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.
