Woods Crampton Light Pass Barossa Shiraz 2023
- 93
- $40
- Drink by: 2026-2036
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The Light Pass region in the Barossa Valley is very much on the way to the Eden Valley and the team sourced their fruit from a range of old vine vineyards here. They included 10% whole bunches in the ferment, and maturation was in a mix of small and larger format French oak barrels, 30% new. 264 dozen produced. Opaque maroon in hue, this is quite a savoury style of Shiraz and a little bit of a departure from your typical Barossan effort. Nothing wrong with that. On the nose, we have aromas of truffles, charcuterie, animal hides, leather, warm earth, aniseed, black fruits and tobacco leaves. At all times, the wine is focused and well balanced, and it has very good length going through to a finish with sleek tannins. Enjoy this over the next eight to ten years, during which time it would not surprise to see the score edge higher.
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.
