In the glass: Dark purple fading at the rim.
On the nose: Italian Nebbiolo it’s not. However, it’s not trying to be. The first sip and the tannins showed a pure Nebbiolo grape flavour. Lighter in the mouth than I was expecting.
I found the tannins to show a softness and refinement that offered just a hint of oak.
Something that set this wine apart from many Australian Nebbiolo wines was the quality of fruit and the wine-making added to the fact Nebbiolo would seem quite suited to this Gippsland soil.
There was good fruit flavour of raspberries, I found the wine medium bodied with brown Gippsland soil on the nose and hints of Gippsland on the long dry finish.
I was given a cellar period of 5 years before drinking and up to 10 years as this wine will continue to develop in the bottle.
I played it safe, I enjoyed this wine with lamb shanks cooked long and slow in red wine and stout. Just melted in your mouth and the wine was a perfect match for the meat as it didn’t overpower the meal, it enhanced the meat in its dark gravy and the tannins gave the meal a lift.
PS. If you find 2021 on the shelves jump on it as its getting hard to find.
Michael Lillis
