Stonehouse Neldner Vineyard Old Vines Shiraz 2023
- 95
- $150
- Drink by: 2025-2045
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The vines providing the fruit for this Barossa gem are from the Neldner Family Contour Vineyard, which was planted back in the 1950s. 18% whole bunches used in the ferment, the remainder whole berries. After twelve days, basket pressing into a mix of American and French oak, 15% of which was new. These vessels were then home to the wine for the next year and a half for maturation. Under Diam. The colour is near opaque black with a magenta rim. This is big, bold and wonderfully chocolatey. A classic Barossa Valley Shiraz – plush, generous and approachable. There is good use of oak, providing attractive vanillin notes, along with typical aromas of mocha, coffee beans, leather, blackberries and cocoa powder. There is good focus and density, but the balance is so well defined that the wine seems to dance. Fine tannins, cushiony and abundant, the wine has serious length, and exhibits pleasing freshness and juiciness. It will provide pleasure for ten to twenty years. Love it.
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.
