Montepulciano is hardly the first wine grape you’d imaging to be planted in the Adelaide Hills (particularly cool Mt Lofty), but hey, if it grows well then why not? This is a pretty smart wine too, closer to the dark and robust Monte style that the Abruzzo is best known for.

According to the notes this is picked on ‘flavour not baume’, which explains both the rich flavour and the high alcohol. Smartly, this was cold soaked (to help colour and flavour extraction) followed by a short warm ferment and then matured in old oak.

Rich and deep maroon coloured, this is certainly defined by alcohol, with both nose and palate a little warm. Nice cherry and mint in there though, topped off with grippy tannins and rather nicely integrated oak. It’s a bit warm, but texturally it feels warming and hearty and quite inky rich without excess sweetness – there is still acidity here.

Like many wines from the Abruzzo this is a little raw and warm, yet the mid palate fruitcake richness (without losing shape) is really quite attractive. Promising wine.

Drink: 2013-2019
Score: 17/20, 90/100+
Would I buy it? Maybe a glass or so proposition.