Australian Montepulciano shouldn’t be this good, surely?

That was going through my brain when I tasted the Amadio Heritage Selection Kersbrook Montepulciano 2014.

Here, you’re looking at a ripe and plush, Australian take on the red grape of the Abruzzo that nails the brief.

A bold, broad-shouldered and plump plummy red that that is full-flavoured, yet still retains a sense of balance. Tannin-driven, and pumped up with oak richness, it’s a wine of lavish red fruit and an inky punch.

What surprises is that it never feels heavy, or baked or dried out to finish, even though I see this in some of the other Amadio wines. It just tastes, well, right.

Indeed I kept coming back and retasting this, expecting to not enjoy it as much with time in glass. But it just continued delivering.

Best drinking: Drinkable now but will arguably be even better in a few years time. Will live for at least ten as well. 18.5/20, 94/100. 14.5%, $45. Would I buy it? I’d buy a bottle for sure.