Sixty Second Swirl by Brent Lello, Yass Valley Times Wine Columnist
The Collector wine brand has been around since 2005. Winemaker Alex McKay has packed a whole lot into the 17 years since. His wines are highly regarded by peers, critics and punters alike. Collector wines are pure expressions of the land from which the grapes are grown. Alex’s winemaking wand weaves elements of elegance and varietal definition into each of his cool-climate creations. A most excellent example is this week’s “swirl” – the Collector Wines Marked Tree Red Shiraz 2019.
The wine is deeply dark red in the glass with a purple edge. A swirl reveals classic cool climate Shiraz aromas of blackberry, dark cherries and spice notes, including freshly cracked white peppercorns and star anise. The palate is medium-bodied, with evident energy of youth and vibrancy. The flavours are of blackberry, cherry and sugar plums with a lovely lick of lively acid and a tight line of tannin. This is indeed a cool climate cracker!
We enjoyed our bottle with woodfired pizza of homemade tomato sauce, pepperoni and Italian sausage. This wine was built for a slow-cooked lamb roast with Moroccan spices or chargrilled rosemary, garlic and sea salt sprinkled lamb cutlets. I sourced mine from the local wine selection at First Choice, but you can also buy online for $30.
