Ulithorne ‘Avitus’ McLaren Vale Shiraz 2018
- 94
- $85
- Drink by: 2025 - 2032
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Another 2018 McLaren Vale Shiraz from the Ulithorne team – well, why wouldn’t you if you can! Brilliant vintage, great vineyards, top winemaking and a grape and region that form a partnership made in heaven. Sourced from a single vineyard, ‘sand over clay’, in the Blewitt Springs sub-region of McLaren Vale. Made by the use of small batch ferments, which are then pressed into seasoned French oak for 18 months then barrel selection and bottling.
Opaque in colour. This is earthy with intriguing notes of dry herbs, coffee grinds, forest floor and dark chocolate. There is plenty of oak here, but it is still early days and the wine will simply continue to get better and better. Good focus and balance and it maintains its intensity right through its impressive length. More chocolate notes emerge on the palate. This is attractive, but it really could do with a bit more time to unveil all it can offer.
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.
