Zonte’s Footstep Super Trooper Shiraz Cabernet 2023

Hands up anyone who didn’t start humming ABBA to themselves on saying, or even simply seeing, the name of this particular wine. No? I don’t believe you. In fact, the name has nothing to do with mega popstars or the team’s love of Scandinavian singers in weird clothing, but rather refers to the Outback vehicle owned by a member of the team, and which they refer to as their ‘troopie’. I’m sure that like most of you, I would have been far too embarrassed to actually put that out in the public domain, but no such hesitation here. Fortunately, the quality of this particular wine is certainly nothing that anyone should be embarrassed about. It is an absolutely cracking version of our great Aussie red blend. The split sits at approximately 2/3rds Shiraz and 1/3rd Cabernet Sauvignon. The Cabernet is sourced from the Langhorne Creek region, while the Shiraz is from McLaren Vale. The wine spends a year in new and older oak for maturation, A mix of puncheons and hogsheads and also a mix of French and American oak. Everything about this wine screams blend (fortunately, not bland). The name? Hey, it is their wine. They can call it whatever they want, no matter how silly. A dark magenta hue, there is a blood red rim. On the nose we find aromas of spices, chocolate, vanillin oak, blackberries, coffee beans and licorice. Exhibiting a most alluring creamy texture, the wine is finely balanced throughout. Utterly delicious, we see notes of charcuterie and bacon fat emerge on the palate. It is a wine of superb length, finishing with satiny tannins, and I love it. Enjoy this over the next twelve to fifteen years. Exceptional value.

Ken Gargett

Contributor at Winepilot

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.

Wine writer and critic