2015 TERRA COSTANTINO DAETNA ETNA ROSSO - EARTH, WIND AND.......

As has been alluded previously on these pages, Mount Etna is the hottest piece of viticultural real estate on the planet. This Etna Rosso displays how serious the wines of Etna can be. A typical blend of Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio, it is light in its feet, fresh and well poised.

It reminds one of a decent light Nebbiolo, albeit with slightly higher acidity and less pronounced tannins. It made a good match to aubergine and ricotta ravioli served with a tomato and basil sauce. Indeed, it is fair to say that this is a wine that needs to be served alongside food.

2015 TERRA COSTANTINO DAETNA ETNA ROSSO
Producer: Terra Costantino
Variety: Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio
Region: Sicily, Italy
ABV: 13.5%
Closure: Diam
Retail Price: $50.00
Date tasted: 20 April 2018

Tasting Note:
Bright garnet. Tilled earth, truffle and spice. Very dry and savoury, medium bodied, lively acidity. Light on its feet. Needs food. Very earthbound in feel. Will appeal to Nebbiolo lovers.
Score: 16/20

2016 MOLINO A VENTO NERELLO MASCALESE - SHE'S LIKE THE WIND

Nerello Mascalese has come to prominence thanks to the renaissance that has taken place on the slopes of Mt Etna over the course of the past decade or so. Conparisons have been drawn between the red wines of Etna and red Burgundy.

One drawback with the wines of Mt Etna is the relatively high price for its entry level wines. If one wants to try Nerello Mascalese at a modest expense, the good news is that there are inexpensive examples of the variety being made elsewhere in Sicily.

This example, from Sicily’s wild west may not possess the finesse Nerello Mascalese grown on Etna, but it does provide an honest representation of the variety. Slightly rustic in feel, it is delivers a combination of berry fruit, dusty herbs and earthy notes.

2016 MOLINO A VENTO NERELLO MASCALESE
Producer: Terre Orestiade
Variety: Nerello Mascalese
Region: Sicily, Italy
ABV: 13.5%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $20.00
Date tasted: 27 November 2017

Tasting Note:
Bright ruby red. Clean nose of plum, dark cherry, freshly tilled earth, dried herbs. Medium bodied, savoury, quite rustic in feel. Dark berry fruit, dried thyme and sage. Spice. Earthy notes.
Score: 15/20

2015 OCCHIPINTI SP68 - HUMAN NATURE

Arianna Occhipinti is the niece of Giusto Occhipinti, the 'O' in leading Sicilian producer COS.  Like her uncle, she is based in Sicily's south-eastern corner.  Her wines reflect a non-interventionist approach.  The estate is certified organic and the wines are made with few, if any, additions.

If one wine has become the signature of Arianna Occhipinti, it is SP68, a blend of Frappato and Nero d'Avola.  This is not a dense or complex wine, it is snappy, sappy and vibrant, the sort of wine that makes you stand up to attention and raise a glass.  It is a wine with few pretensions, more fun than serious.  That is no bad thing.  It is a lovely 'drink me know' proposition that has found a legion of fans worldwide.

2015 OCCHIPINTI SP68
Producer: Agricola Occhipinti
Variety: Frappato, Nero d’Avola
Region: Sicily, Italy
ABV: 13.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $45.00
Date tasted: 19 November 2016

Tasting Note:
Bright purple. Lifted nose of morello cherry/bitter cherry. Direct and straightforward on the palate. Black/bitter cherry to the fore. Light, vibrant and fresh. Pleasantly sour!
Score: 16+/20

2012 TENUTA DI TAVIGNANO ‘CERVIDONI’ ROSSO PICENO - VOLARE

Rosso Piceno is far from the best known Italian appellations, yet for one reason or another, we have looked at two examples in the past few weeks on these pages. If this example is anything to go by, Rosso Piceno is worthwhile exploring in more detail.

This wine showcases both Montepulciano and Sangiovese with notes of cherries, dark chocolate and a slightly wild element, all of which work well together. It is very much an ‘Italian’ wine, with a pleasant rusticity. Enjoyed with appropriate food, one can not argue! 

2012 TENUTA DI TAVIGNANO ‘CERVIDONI’ ROSSO PICENO
Producer: Tenuta di Tavagnino

Variety: Montepulciano, Sangiovese

Vintage: 2012

Region: Le Marche, Italy

ABV: 14.0%

Closure: Natural cork

Retail Price: $28.00

Date tasted: 3 September 2015

Tasting Note:
Deep ruby. Attractive nose of toasted fennel seeds, sage, dark chocolate and tar. Dry, medium bodied, dark, gamey, meaty and savoury – the nose flows through to the palate – starts round and silky, but finishes with rustic (not coarse) tannins. Slightly inky (not in a bad way). Very enjoyable when consumed in the right context.
Score: 16.5/20

2012 TENUTA ULISSE ‘UNICO’ MONTEPULCIANO D’ABRUZZO - CHOCOLATE CAKE

Montepulciano seems to be gaining in prominence on retailer’s shelves here in little Melbourne. And we’re not just talking Italian Montepulciano as there are a good number of smartly priced Australian-made examples these days.

This example, from Tenuta Ulisse, shows quite amount of extract and grunt. If one had to be critical, it comes over as slightly disjointed – dark chocolate and cherry are set against sturdy tannins and brisk acidity. From this imbiber’s standpoint it doesn’t quite hang together at this point in time, but perhaps additional bottle age will be the remedy. Here and now, one’s judgement is reserved.

2012 TENUTA ULISSE ‘UNICO’ MONTEPULCIANO D’ABRUZZO
Producer: Tenuta Ulisse
Variety: Montepulciano
Vintage: 2012
Region: Abruzzo, Italy
ABV: 14.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $25.00
Date tasted: 13 August 2015

Tasting Note:
Deep ruby. Direct nose of dark chocolate, black cherry and woodsmoke. Slightly disjointed on the palate – chocolate, cherry, brisk acidity – lick of tannin carries the finish. Decent enough, but feels a bit contrived, and the component parts aren’t well integrated (at this point in time).
Score: 15/20

2013 CANTINA ZACCAGNINI MONTEPULCIANO D’ABRUZZO - BORN TO BE WILD

The 2012 vintage rendition of Cantina Zaccagnini’s attractively packaged Montepulciano was reviewed on these pages some time ago. The 2013 vintage release follows in a not dissimilar vein, albeit, at this point in time it is showing some of the precociousness of youth.

There is more up-front fruit on show with the 2013 release and it will perhaps benefit from a further several months in bottle to shed its puppy fat and allow a bot more complexity to come through. All in all, it’s a very solid Montepulciano, but not quite as enjoyable as the 2012 at this point in time.

2013 CANTINA ZACCAGNINI MONTEPULCIANO D’ABRUZZO
Producer: Cantina Zaccagnini
Variety: Montepulciano
Vintage: 2013
Region: Abruzzo, Italy
ABV: 12.5%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $28.00
Date tasted: 12 August 2015

Tasting Note:
Bright ruby. Clean nose of dark cherry, plum, pepper and tar. Sweet fruited up-front, quite plush. Flavour profile reflects the nose. Dry tannins carry the finish, which is savoury and reasonably long. Solid, reliable and should benefit from another 12-18 months in bottle.
Score: 16/20

2012 IL PIMINO PRIMITIVO DI MANDURIA - SPICE UP YOUR LIFE

Primitivo performs well in the hot sun of Italy’s south. Based in Puglia, the heel of Italy, Primitivo di Manduria showcases the variety. As one would expect of a warm climate wine, it is high in alcobol, 15% in this instance. However, it is exceptionally well balance, showing no heat whatsoever.

While some examples of southern Italian Primitivo can deliver big up-front fruit and little else, ‘Il Pimono’ has real depth and interest. With air, the wine opens up to reveal spicy complexity behind baked cherry pie. This is an excellent reference point for Primitivo.

2012 IL PIMINO PRIMITIVO DI MANDURIA
Producer: Il Pimino
Variety: Primitivo
Vintage: 2012
Region: Puglia, Italy
Alcohol: 15.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $30.00
Date tasted: 31 July 2015

Tasting Note:
Deep ruby. Attractive nose of baked cherry pie, tar, roasted spice – complex and inviting. Full bodied, round and supple. Delicious mouthful of cola/sarsaparilla underlined by spice. Generously flavoured and well balanced.
Score: 16.5+/20

2013 CANTINA DI PRIOCCA ARTIGIANO PRIMITIVO - HE AIN'T HEAVY....

Primitivo calls its home Puglia, the heel of Italy. A warm climate variety, it typically delivers a spiced Christmas cake in the glass with a generous dose of alcohol, reflecting its sun-baked origin.

This particular example delivers and elegantly composed expression of the variety. There’s not a huge amount of complexity on offer, but stylish spice-infused plum and dark cherry fruit in a mid-weight package. All in all, this is a solid, easy going wine that ‘does what it says’ with a modicum of style.

2013 CANTINA DI PRIOCCA ARTIGIANO PRIMITIVO
Producer: Cantina di Priocca
Variety: Primitivo
Vintage: 2013
Region: Puglia, Italy
Alcohol: 14.0%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $22.00
Date tasted: 16 July 2015

Tasting Note:
Mid-ruby. Open nose of baked plum and Christmas cake. Mid-weight, quite gentle and easy; baked plum and confit cherry, anise and fennel. Round and easy. Solid food style.
Score: 15.5/20

2013 CALABRIA PRIVATE BIN MONTEPULCIANO - THE REAL THING

As has been discussed on these pages previously, Australia’s warm inland regions (Riverland and Riverina) would appear to have a sound future with Italian varieties. The likes of Aglianico, Nero d’Avola and Montepulciano seem to make sense in dry, warm regions, conditions that are not unlike those of their native Italy.

Calabria’s Private Bin Montepulciano is further proof of the ability of the Riverina to produce varietally sound, highly drinkable, food friendly wines that deliver a lot more interest than generic branded Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Keeping with the variety, the wine is deeply coloured and full flavoured. It boasted a richly flavoured palate of blue and black fruits underpinned by fine tannins. There’s plenty in the glass here for a sub-$20 wine and quality-wise, it more than holds its own.

2013 CALABRIA PRIVATE BIN MONTEPULCIANO
Producer: Calabria
Variety: Montepulciano
Vintage: 2013
Region: Riverina, New South Wales
Alcohol: 14.0%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $18.00
Date tasted: 17 July 2015

Tasting Note:
Deep ruby. Lifted nose of cherry and blackberry compote. Medium bodied, upfront sweet fruit moving to savoury on the mid-palate. Plum-skin, blackberry and blueberry. Fine tannins sit in the background. Good length. Excellent value.
Score: 16/20

2014 DELINQUENTE ‘THE BULLET DODGER’ MONTEPULCIANO - DEGENERATE BOY

Italian varieties continue to illustrate that the warm Riverland/Riverina inland regions may offer more than being a sourced for generic branded wine of indifferent quality.

Delinquente ‘The Bullet Dodger’ is a sold example of Montepulciano. As befits the variety, it is deeply coloured, with up-front dark cherry and plum. Complex it is not, but it is yet another well executed example of an interesting Italian varietal in grown in warm inland Australia.

Dry and savoury, ‘The Bullet Dodger’ is well suited to Italian dishes of many shapes and sizes; pizza, tomato-based past a dishes and rich ragus. At under $20, it constitutes good value for money.

2014 DELINQUENTE ‘THE BULLET DODGER’ MONTEPULCIANO
Producer: Australian Wine Company
Variety: Montepulciano
Vintage: 2014
Region: Riverland, South Australia
Alcohol: 14%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $18.00
Date tasted: 18 March 2015

2012 VINICOLA PALAMÀ ‘KALÁ’ SALICE SALENTINO ROSSO - THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTH

The red wines of southern Italy often tend to be full in flavour, with moderate alcohol and baked fruit characters. Although rarely subtle or delicate, they are well suited to robust cuisine. In this respect, the Salice Salentino Rosso ‘Kala’ from Vinicola Palamà ticks the boxes.

In three simple words, it is deep, dark and savoury. There’s not a huge amount of complexity on offer, but sufficient interest to carry one through the bottle. With it’s dark fruit profile, it is well suited to simply grilled red meats and hearty braises.

There’s a good amount of Puglian authenticity to enjoy here, if not a huge amount of complexity. Those seeking complexity from southern Italy would be well served to head for Campania or Basilicata and hunt for the best examples of Aglianico.

2012 VINICOLA PALAMÀ ‘KALÁ’ SALICE SALENTINO ROSSO
Producer: Vinicola Palamà
Variety: Negroamaro 70%/Malvasia Nero 30%
Vintage: 2012
Region: Puglia, Italy
Alcohol: 13%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $22.00
Date tasted: 20 March 2015

Tasting Note:
Crimson in appearance. Cherry, tar/bitumen and baked earth on the nose. Dry, medium bodied, bitter cherry, damson, prune. Dark and brooding. Savoury in profile. Powdery tannins carry the finish. Solid, but not particularly complex.
Score: 15/20

2012 PIPOLI AGLIANICO DEL VULTURE - THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTH

Aglianico presents a strong case to be southern Italy’s finest black grape variety (supporters of Nerello Mascalese, Nero d’Avola and Negroamaro may beg to differ!). With its trademark tannic framework and savoury profile, it is capable of developing considerable complexity with extended ageing. Even better, modestly priced examples deliver plenty of character and excellent drinkability.

At under $20, this imported example from Italy’s deep south ticks most boxes. It delivers excellent varietal character with trademark Aglianico tannins emerging with air. While there’s not a huge amount of complexity to speak of, there’s a good amount of pleasure here at a modest price.

2012 PIPOLI AGLIANICO DEL VULTURE
Producer: Pipoli
Variety: Aglianico
Vintage: 2012
Region: Basilicata, Italy
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $19.00
Date tasted: 19 December 2014

Tasting Note:
Deep ruby. Open nose of cherry, plum, tilled earth and liquorice. Dry, medium bodied, damson, black cherry, bay leaf. Finishes with fine chalky tannins. Relatively simple, but good value.
Score: 15.5/20

2012 CANTINA ZACCAGNINI MONTEPULCIANO D’ABRUZZO - TRUE

The Cerasuolo rosé from Cantina Zaccagnini was enthusiastically reviewed on these pages some time ago. The Montepulciano from the same producer is a benchmark of the style. Although not a particularly complex wine, it delivers pretty much all one could want from a trattoria-style red for everyday drinking – medium weight, savoury, balanced acidity and a lick of tannin to hold things in check.

In this instance it went very well with ragu Bolognaise, cutting through the rich sauce with aplomb. One could see it alongside a platter of fine Italian salumi, or rich pasta dishes. Stylistically, the wine sits more in the traditional camp than the Terzini Montepulciano d’Abruzzo reviewed several months ago, but both are good in there own way.

2012 CANTINA ZACCAGNINI MONTEPULCIANO D’ABRUZZO
Producer: Cantina Zaccagnini
Variety: Montepulciano
Vintage: 2012
Region: Abruzzo, Italy
Alcohol: 12.5%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $29.00
Date Tasted: 21 November 2014

Tasting Note:
Deep ruby. Open and inviting nose of violet, aniseed, damson/black cherry, touch of cracked pepper. Medium bodied, dry and savoury, sour cherry/black cherry, dusty herbs, slightly drying tannin on the finish. Moderate acidity. Not a super complex wine, but does what it sets out to do admirably well.
Score: 16/20

2013 CALABRIA WINES AGLIANICO - MAMA MIA....!

Calabria Wines (formerly known as Westend Estate) is the source of some of Australia’s best (and certainly best value) Aglianico. The 2009 and 2010 vintages of Calabria Aglianico have both been reviewed positively on these pages.

The 2013 vintage release follows in similar style, delivering excellent varietal definition and authentic southern Italian character. As with previous offerings from this address, the wine offers upside for development in bottle over the medium term.

Kudos to Calabria Wines for being prepared to invest in Aglianico and to produce an expression of the variety at a very modest price that benefits from cellaring. Those seeking an authentic southern-Italian inspired wine could do a lot worse than grab a few bottles of Calabria Wines Aglianico.

2013 CALABRIA WINES AGLIANICO
Producer: Calabria Wines
Variety: Aglianico
Vintage: 2013
Region: Riverina, New South Wales
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $17.00
Date tasted: 6 November 2014

Tasting Note:
Bright ruby red. Varietal nose of plum, cherry, roasted spice, earthy notes. Dry, medium bodied, initially fruit forward. Acidity is fine and well balanced. Tannins become more forthright over time. Needs food and will benefit from a couple of years in bottle.
Score: 16/20

2013 VINTELOPER VUWP RED #1 - YOU BELONG TO THE CITY

Vinteloper is a one-man show drawing on fruit from the Adelaide Hills and selected vineyards in other South Australian regions. VUWP, short for Vinteloper Urban Wine Project, is a rather unique project in as much as the wine was vinified in the heart of Adelaide’s commercial office precinct on Grenfell Street.

VUWP is anything but a one-man wine, as members of the public were invited to participate in the winemaking process from foot-treading whole grapes, pressing and transferring the wine to oak for maturation.

As to the wine, it is a ‘one-off’, a blend of Aglianico, Shiraz, Barbera, Shiraz, Graciano and Pinot Noir. Aromatically, the wine very much speaks of the blend, rather than its component parts. Red fruits lead the bouquet together with distinctive stemmy and smoky notes. The palate slightly belies the nose, being quite round and fleshy. All in all it’s a pleasantly rustic drop, not particularly complex but nonetheless enjoyable. It’s the sort of engaging wine we could do with seeing a bit more Down Under.

2013 VUWP RED #1
Producer: Vinteloper
Variety: Italian red blend
Vintage: 2013
Region: Adelaide Hills, South Australia
ABV: 14.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $25.00
Date tasted: 7 September 2014

Tasting Note:
Mid-ruby. Interesting nose of cranberry, cherry, rhubarb and sour cherry. Stems and woodsmoke. Slightly sappy. Dry, medium bodied, soft and round, brambly red fruits leading to a sour cherry finish. Acidity is initially very prominent, but is enveloped by the structure of the wine as it opens up. Pleasantly rustic.
Score: 15/20

2012 CIRAMI LAGREIN - I WILL FOLLOW

We have previously seen the Cirami Montepulciano on these pages, a wine from South Australia’s warm Riverland region that over-delivers and promises considerable potential for the future. Cirami’s flirtation with Italian varietals continues with Lagrein, a grape that originates from Italy’s alpine north. How does the variety fair in the Riverland? On the nose, it displays considerable promise, rather complex and true to type. The initial promise doesn’t quite carry through on the palate which is rather straightforward and marked by powdery tannin.

Although not as successful as the Montepulciano, there is a lot to like about the work being done under the Cirami label. It is definitely one to follow over the next few years.

2012 LAGREIN
Producer: Cirami
Variety: Lagrein
Vintage: 2012
Region: Riverland
ABV: 14%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $20.00
Date tasted: 21 November 2013

Tasting Note:
Deep crimson. Inviting nose of morello cherry, cola, coconut and charcoal. Medium bodied, initially tight on the palate but opens up with air to reveal sour cherry. Noticeable powdery tannin. Quite simple. Perhaps needs a couple of years?
Score: 15/20

2011 TERZINI MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO - 'YOU GET WHAT YOU PAYS FOR'

There is a good number of relatively inexpensive examples Montepulciano d’Abruzzo to be found in the Australian wine marketplace, some of which have gained a sizeable following. While one can secure a smartly packaged inoffensive Montepulciano d’Abruzzo at the bargain price of $10 per bottle, what can one expect for an outlay of $28?

If the 2011, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo from Terzini is anything to go by, with Montepulciano as with many things in life, ‘you get what you pays for’. True to the variety, it is inky crimson/magenta colour. The nose is powerful and brooding, yet not without a feminine edge, as floral notes emerge with air. Although not profound, the wine eminently drinkable, silky in texture and deeply fruited. It is a near perfect with rich Italian ragus. Although the wine sits at the riper end of the Montepulciano spectrum, it is compact and well balanced, with no evidence of excess.

2011 MONTEPULCIANO D’ABRUZZO
Producer: Terzini
Variety: Montepulciano
Vintage: 2011
Region: Abruzzo, Italy
ABV: 13.5%
Closure: Diam
Retail Price: $28.00
Date tasted: 4 October 2013

Tasting Note:
Inky magenta. Intense nose of blackberry/blueberry coulis; dark fruit and brooding. Hint of black pepper. Sweet fruited up-front, alluring texture – medium bodied, silky and stylish. Floral notes emege with air. Savoury on the mid-palate, dark fruits (damson, blackberry, blueberry), slightly smoky. Long finish. Not enormously complex, but delivers immense pleasure.
Score: 17+/20

2012 CIRAMI ESTATE MONTEPULCIANO - LAYS DOWN A MARKER

South Australia’s Riverland has long been a source of inexpensive generic wine of modest quality. Large brands have drawn on the region’s extensive irrigated vineyards for bulk wine production. In the past decade or so, it seems that the both the Riverland and Riverina (across the border in New South Wales/Victoria) are in the midst of a quiet revolution.

Cirami Estate, associated with the Riverland Vine Improvement Committee, has performed extensive trials with alternative varietals, a number of which have been commercially bottled. These include Georgia’s Saperavi, Italy’s Fiano, Vermentino and Lagrein and Spain’s Graciano. This particular example, from the Montepulciano grape, shows considerable promise.

Originating from Abbruzzo on the Italy’s eastern coast, Montepulciano typically produces deeply coloured wines with a distinctive dark cherry character. The 2012 Cirami Estate Montepulciano is bang on in terms of varietal character; deep crimson in colour with a brooding nose of morello cherry. Unlike many wines from Australia’s warm inland regions (which are perhaps made to suit a particular flavour profile), the palate is dry, savoury and medium bodied.

This is a stylish, food friendly wine that is more than a match to similarly priced imports from Italy. As such, it lays down a very positive marker, demonstrating that there could be much to look forward to from the oft derided Riverland and Riverina regions.

2012 MONTEPULCIANO
Producer: Cirami Estate
Variety: Montepulciano
Vintage: 2012
Region: Riverland
ABV: 13.5%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $20.00
Date tasted: 21 June 2013

Tasting Note:
Deep crimson. Attractive nose of raspberry and morello cherry, touch of ground pepper. Dry, savoury, medium bodied, excellent fruit intensity, very varietal – Montepulciano-esque! Good depth of flavour. Although not particularly complex, the wine definitely deserves plaudits for typicity.
Score: 16+/20

2010 CERASUOLO DI VITTORIA, AZIENDA AGRICOLA COS - I'M TOO SEXY!

One tends to associate the Mediterranean with full bodied, spicy, sun-baked wines that reflect the region’s warm climate. However, the wines of Cerasuolo di Vittoria, a DOCG in Sicily’s south-east, very much counter this preconception.

This particular wine is from one of Sicily’s leading estates, COS, a producer that is associated with the natural wine movement. While it practises biodynamic viticulture, uses clay amphorae for certain cuvées and keeps sulphur dioxide additions to a minimum, there is nothing eccentric about the wines of COS. They merely seek to provide the best possible expression of their origin by respecting nature and intervening only when necessary.

The COS Cerasuolo di Vittoria, a 60/40 blend of two indigenous varieties, Nero d’Avola and Frappato, possesses the appearance, aromatics and palate of a wine with cooler origin than Sicily’s south-east, such as Piedmont or Burgundy. Sicilian it is, however, and it is an excellent representation of its type, with alluring aromatics and an elegant red-fruit infused palate. Having recently seen the same wine with bottle age, one has sufficient confidence to suggest that it is capable of developing additional complexity in bottle if cellared for 4-6 years.

2010 CERASUOLO DI VITTORIA CLASSICO
Producer: Azienda Agricola COS
Variety: Nero d’Avola (60%), Frappato (40%)
Vintage: 2010
Region: Sicily, Italy
ABV: 13.0%
Closure: Diam
Retail Price: $48.00
Date Tasted: 11 May 2013

Tasting Note:
Translucent cherry red. Alluring perfumed nose of strawberry, raspberry coulis, floral notes, chalky mineral edge. Dry, elegant and savoury, tannins initially prominent but recede with air. Sweet fruited up-front, characters much the same as the nose, quite delicate in texture but with good depth and length. Will develop well over the short to medium term, say 4-6 years.
Score: 17+/20