Wine Code Breaker #413

A winter Ashes series approaches the Antipodes; some five weeks away to be precise. This provides ample time to select a wine to match the cooler nights watching some devious swing from the medium pacers, deceptive flight from the spinners and toilers, vicious short pitched deliveries from the speedsters and an occasional long hop from the plodders. The long hop of course is a short pitched delivery that goes horribly wrong. It provides the batter with ample time to select their shot and dispatch it to or over the fence.

The 2021 Longhop Old Vine Shiraz is made from vineyards that survived the vine pull of the 1980s in the Adelaide Plains of South Australia. It is a deep dark red with vibrant red rim, closer to a Kookaburra than a Duke. The nose is generous with violets, chocolate, plums and the darker red fruits. Some fine pencil shavings of deftly handled oaks and a small dollop of cream add to its complexity. The palate loops delightfully between the red fruits and plums. Chocolate and savoury tones sew it together along a pitch of velvety tannins. A beautiful delivery with ample time to contemplate the merits of each delivery across the evenings play.

Enjoy!