After initially pouring into a glass I noticed a lot of dusty sediment, so I got the muslin and strainer happening to clean it up. Made in the Amarone style of Italy where the fruit is dried on racks for a couple of weeks. The fruit is sourced from McLaren Vale and Clarendon and aged in French and American oak for 20mths – and all of this shows. The drying (where apparently about 15% of the volume is lost), the MV and Clarendon fruit and the 20mths in oak. Make no mistake this is a big wine, but thankfully it is really well balanced. Fruit cake, chocolate, blackberry, raspberry and some herbaceous notes on the nose.
On the palate it is really soft and supple and rich, yet the acid and tannins pulls it away from the over ripe cloying precipice and has you licking your lips and gums. Great length as well. There is a hint of stalk and menthol coming through with leanings towards Coonawarra although MV fruit, liquorice, dark fruit. Touch of heat as it warms up a bit so I’d probably keep returning it to the fridge to keep it at a 16-18C range. Classic winter wine, which I enjoyed with a Wagyu teppanyaki steak and fries. 14.5% alc
