03-29-22 Newsletter

Marcus Goodfellow is one of the most talented winemakers in Oregon. He founded Matello wines, his original label, in 2002 and hasn’t looked back, making wines that have continually improved—both in bottle and from vintage to vintage. These are profound wines, both white and red, that are made in a style that’s distinctly savory—no fruit bombs here. We love them for their coiled power and Burgundian structure. There’s a clear house styling that’s evident across the bottlings which include some of the best appellations in the Willamette Valley including the Dundee Hills, Ribbon Ridge and Eola-Amity. Oregon Pinot Noir is often grouped into “Heavy or Light” but Goodfellows iterations defy this categorization by walking the middle road between both camps. 

 These are wines that speak with an Oregon voice, but the tannin and acidity comes from an old-world point of view. If you haven’t tried Marcus’ wines with some age, well, now’s your chance to grab some winery-cellared releases. 2011 Pinot Noirs from the Willamette Valley are among the most acid driven and long lived in the past decade or more, with many more years still left in their bottle age trajectory. If that wasn’t enough we also have small amounts left of his Syrah as well as his Chardonnay bottlings from various sites.

Goodfellow wines in stock now: 

Matello ‘Souris’ Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2011 750ML ($64.95) $54.50 special, 36 bottles in stock now
Library Release
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 91 points “(from fruit grown in the Whistling Ridge and Durant vineyards; made with 55% whole clusters and raised in 40% new oak):  Vivid red.  Vibrant red berry and Asian spice aromas are given depth by notes of vanilla and licorice and pick up a minerally nuance with air.  Juicy raspberry and cherry-cola flavors tighten up in the mid-palate and show very good clarity.  Finishes spicy and long, with silky tannins adding structure.”

Goodfellow Family Cellars Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2019 750ML ($29.95) $21.50 special, 24 bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds 93 points “Bright garnet. Zesty red fruits and spices on the nose, plus hints of blood orange and botanical herbs. Tangy and sharply focused, offering nervy red currant, bitter cherry, orange zest and licorice flavors that take a sweet turn on the back half. Closes long and smooth, with the spice and herb notes repeating. This is a distinctly savory, restrained Pinot, which is uncommon for an entry-level offering.”

Goodfellow Family Cellars Whistling Ridge Vineyard Pinot Noir Oregon 2015 750ML ($79.95) $69 special, 21 bottles in stock now
Winery cellared release in 2022! 
Wine Advocate 93 points “From a vineyard planted in 1990, the pale to medium ruby colored 2015 Pinot Noir Whistling Ridge Vineyard has a spicy nose of coriander, warm cinnamon, potpourri and dried leaves over a core of baked cranberry and red cherry fruit with meaty/savory touches. Light to medium-bodied, it has spice-laced red fruits in the mouth, with a great frame of fine-grained tannins and wonderful freshness, finishing very long and very spicy. 270 cases produced.”
 

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Goodfellow Family Cellars Temperance Hill Pinot Noir Eola-Amity Hills 2018 750ML ($47.95) $39 special, 23 bottles in stock now
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 94 points “Pale ruby, the 2018 Pinot Noir Temperance Hill is layered and savory, with pure tobacco and Earl Grey tea leaves, licorice and bright red berries on the nose. The palate is soft, seamlessly fresh and delicately styled, offering an array of pure spicy flavors and a very long, uplifted finish.”
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 93 points “Dark, vivid garnet. Ripe red and blue fruit, floral and spice qualities on the deeply perfumed nose, along with hints of musky earth and woodsmoke. Appealingly sweet and fleshy on the palate, offering concentrated black raspberry, cherry, mulberry, floral pastille and exotic spice flavors that gain energy as the wine opens up. Shows excellent clarity and floral lift on a long, focused finish shaped by smooth, well-judged tannins. Drinking window 2023-2031.”
Winery Note “Red fruited and mineral, expressive and elegant nose with cedar, cinnamon and perfume, raspberry leaf, savory, thyme, strawberries, dried rose petals and potpourri.  Violets, red cherry, gardenias, bright and clean with mid-weight fruit, nerve and pull and an amaro-esque, mineral finish. Tightly wound right now but opens beautifully with air. “
 

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Goodfellow Family Cellars Deux Vert Vineyard Syrah Willamette Valley  2015 750ML ($47.95) $36 special, 24 bottles in stock now
Winery cellared release in 2022! 
John Gilman 91+ points “Marcus Goodfellow’s 2015 Deux Vert Vineyard (Reserve) bottling of Syrah includes five percent viognier, which grows alongside these syrah vines, which were the first to be planted in the Willamette Valley in 1994. The 2015 version comes in at 13.8 percent octane and delivers a refined and red fruity bouquet of raspberries, pepper, woodsmoke, roasted meats, lovely soil tones, plenty of spice elements and a nice framing of cedary oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, tangy and rock solid at the core, with excellent transparency and grip, ripe tannins and a long, focused and nascently complex finish. This will be a lovely bottle in due course, but it needs some time in the cellar to allow its backend tannins to resolve a bit. Fine juice. 2030- 2055+. 91+.”

 

This is the only listing in the USA today!

We carry a number of Goodfellow bottlings available both in store and online!
 

One of the best-selling examples of the style in Portland, we’ve secured our next batch due in this Friday! It might be April Fool’s Day but we certainly aren’t fooling around with our pricing. Situated at over 1,000 feet above sea level between the legendary St. Tropez and the village of Aix-En-Provence the blend is comprised of the traditional varietals Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah with a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon as well. As you can expect this is a perfectly quaffable rose at a guilt free price point. Pair with sunny days and picnics.         

Chateau Routas Arriving April 1st: 

Chateau Routas Coteaux Varois en Provence Rose France 2020 750ML ($17.95) $13 pre-arrival special
*No Review for 2020 found, 2019 substituted* 
James Suckling 93 points “The nose here is immediately captivating with its freshness, focus and interest. It suggests sea salt, thyme, freshly squeezed nectarines and a touch of well-executed, lifted citrus. The palate shows some good density and the fruit/acid balance is played out nicely. Medium-bodied and sleek and refreshing. Makes you come back for more. Routas on the money as always. Drink now.”
 

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!

 

You’ve heard of iconic Brunello’s like Biondi Santi but Salvioni should also be on your radar. With less than 10 acres or 1/5th of their property planted to grapevines, pampered doesn’t begin to cover the winegrowing philosophy. Grown at over 1,200 feet above sea level, there is a near constant breeze that assists in maintaining acidity and reducing disease pressure. The confluence of breezes and high elevation ensure that freshness is maintained even in exactingly hot vintages like 2017. The resulting wines combine jammy ripeness with lifted acidity, almost Napa-esque. 

In order to maximize the power of their old vines, yields are highly reduced and spend more than the required time in vat and bottle. We’ve just secured our allocation for their entry level, offering a snapshot of their house style at a lower price point than their other bottlings.

Salvioni wines arriving Late April 2022:

Salvioni Cerbaiola Rosso di Montalcino Tuscany 2018 750ML ($99.95) $89 pre-arrival special
93 points Eric Guido-Vinous “The 2018 Salvioni Rosso di Montalcino leads off with a zesty, fresh display of Sangiovese fruit, as a mix of cherry and strawberry is complemented by hints of sweet spice, leather and gorgeous exotic florals. On the palate, I’m finding a wonderfully pure expression, focused on ripe red fruits with energizing acids and subtle spice, as pretty inner rose develops toward the close. Hints of fine tannin and minerals mingle throughout the finish, and a staining of black cherry lingers on and on. What a beautiful, feminine, and truly enjoyable vintage for the Salvioni Rosso.”
Ian D’agata-Vinous 93 points “Medium bright red. Candied raspberry, blueberry, and flowers on the nose and in the mouth. Suave but still youthfully tight, vibrant and perfumed on the long steely finish. A bright Rosso that finishes clean and seamless, featuring terrific cut and length.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 93 points “Giulio Salvioni’s 2018 Rosso di Montalcino La Cerbaiola is a silky and fine expression of Sangiovese, a welterweight offering that jabs with little punches of wild berry, tilled soil and blue flower. This Rosso accomplishes an important feat here: It is not a less intense expression of the mighty Tuscan grape, but rather a more nuanced one. That’s exactly what a top-ranked Rosso di Montalcino should be. We’re not looking for that characteristic Brunello power. This wine instead provides us with an approachable yet pleasurable experience, packed tight with varietal and territorial purity. This release weighed in at a relatively sprightly 10,133 bottles.”
 

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Salvioni Cerbaiola Brunello di Montalcino DOCG Tuscany 2017 750ML ($249.95) $199 pre-arrival special
Monica Larner – Wine Advocate 95 points The 2017 Brunello di Montalcino La Cerbaiola grows in intensity in the glass, with delicate aromas that are especially floral and light in character. Instead of blackberry or blackcurrant, this elegant wine delivers cassis and cranberry. Instead of overt spice, you get licorice, balsam herb and camphor ash. The Salvioni house style is ethereal and light, and although that extra vintage ripeness and concentration does register on the palate, farming and winemaking at this estate puts an emphasis on acidity over power or structure. These choices were particularly important in 2017.
 

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!

Salvioni Wines in stock now: 

Salvioni Cerbaiola Brunello di Montalcino DOCG Tuscany 2016 750ML ($249.95) $219 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Kerin O’keefe-Wine Enthusiast 100 points “Cellar Selection. Absolutely stunning, this gorgeous red has enticing aromas of wild rose, forest berries, new leather and camphor. Full-bodied and delicious, the smooth, structured palate is all about flavor, focus and finesse, doling out succulent black cherry, crushed raspberry, star anise and white pepper notes framed in tightly knit, refined tannins. Bright acidity keeps it impeccably balanced. Beautiful now and will continue to age and develop even more complexity for years to come”.
Eric Guido-Vinous 97+ points “The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino slowly comes to life, opening with a smoky, brooding and dark bouquet. It first unleashes its florals with crushed roses and hints of geranium, then deepens to reveal black cherry and raspberry, and finally a chorus of tobacco and wild herbs. You could lose yourself in the glass. The 2016 is incredibly silky and textural, displaying a youthful density that tempts the imagination while casting a savory display of mineral-tinged dark fruits, more black than red, with hints of dried orange and exotic spice. A saturation of fine tannin awaits on the finish, previously masked by the Salvioni’s primary power, as a mix of sage and hints of licorice slowly fade. There is so much potential here; but today, the 2016 is in dire need of cellaring. I tasted the 2016 multiple times over the course of two days and it didn’t budge.”

 

It goes without saying that organic and biodynamic farming methods have taken root in the wine industry around the world. In terms of farmed acreage the International Organization of Vine and Wine reports that Spain is currently leading the charge, with vignerons like Laura Lorenzo taking organic practices to the next level. With her first harvest being at 16 and experience in both South Africa and Argentina, you’d be hard pressed to find a more seasoned winemaker. 

Practicing regenerative agriculture with the express purpose to minimize impact on the ecosystem, her vineyards are entirely comprised of rehabilitated native varietals. Mixing her production between leased and purchased plots, her youngest vines are over 50 years old! Lorenzo’s operation is based in Ribeira Sacra or the “Sacred Shore” the region is punctuated by undulating hills and rivers largely comprised of granite. Vineyards are precipitously planted on terraces carved by the Roman and Celtic inhabitants in millennia past, largely to field blends of indigenous grapes. This allows for wholly unique expressions vineyard to vineyard, hence Lorenzo’s propensity to vinify and bottle her wines by site.

Daterra Lorenzo wines in stock now: 

Daterra Viticultores ‘Casas de Enriba’ Galicia 2019 750ML ($36.95) $31.90 special, 23 bottles in stock now
“100% Mencia from Laura’s own 20-25-year-old vines in Valdeorras, planted on granitic soils at an elevation of 550 meters. The grapes were partially destemmed and fermented in stainless steel tanks before being transferred to 4000L French oak barrels to rest for 10 months.”

Daterra Viticultores ‘Portela do Vento’ Galicia 2018 750ML ($39.95) $31.90 special, 39 bottles in stock now
John Gilman 93 points “The Portela Do Vento Tinto is composed of a blend of Mencía and Garnacha Tintorera, selected from several different vineyard parcels in both Quiroga and Amandi. The grapes are mostly destemmed and fermented in stainless steel tanks, prior to racking to five hundred liter, used demi-muids for ten months of elevage. The 2018 Portela Do Vento comes in at a svelte twelve percent alcohol and delivers a beautiful, black fruity bouquet of cassis, dark berries, tree bark, coffee bean, slate, cigar smoke and just a touch of upper register botanicals. On the palate the wine is precise, full-bodied and tangy, with a lovely core of fruit, excellent slate undertow, fine-grained tannins and a long, complex, palate-staining and focused finish. This is pure, light on its feet and excellent! 2023-2045+.”
Importer Note “Comes from several south-facing parcels of Menci´a and Garnacha Tintorera in the Amandi and Quiroga-Bibei subzones. The grapes were harvested by hand and mostly destemmed, fermented with wild yeasts in steel vats, and raised for 9 months in used 500 liter French barrels. This is Laura’s “glou-glou” wine that she loves to share with her American friends. Fresh and easy-drinking, it is very versatile with a wide variety of foods…or straight from the porro´n!?”
 

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!

Daterra Viticultores ‘Portela do Vento’ Galicia 2019 750ML ($36.95) $31.90 special
Importer Note:“100% Mencia from a south-facing parcel of 50-year-old vines planted on granitic, sandy soils at an elevation of 350-400 meters in the Amandi subzone of Ribeira Sacra. The grapes were destemmed and partially crushed then fermented in a used 4000L French oak foudre. The wine then rested for 11 months in the same foudre.”
 

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!

Daterra Viticultores ‘Camino de la Frontera’ Blanco Castilla y Leon, 2018 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Importer note “Camino de la Frontera Blanco comes from Angel’s ancient, northwest-facing vineyard in the Parque Natural de Los Arribes del Duero, from native Malvasia, Verdejo & Puesta en Cruz varieties. After a cool, wet & humid summer, the grapes were hand-harvested on September 20th, destemmed, crushed and wild yeast fermented in used 250 & 500L chestnut barrels with 10 days of skin maceration, then raised in the same vessels for 11 months. This is a “mountain white” showing bright orchard fruit, savory minerality and refreshing acidity. Pair it with grilled fish and poultry, paella and good friends.”
 

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Daterra Viticultores ‘Camino de la Frontera’ Tinto Castilla y Leon 2018 750ML ($39.95) $31.90 special, 5 bottles in stock now
Grapelive 94 points “The unique and outstandingly expressive Camino de la Frontera, made from incredibly rare local varietals including Juan Garcia, Tinta Madrid and Rufete from a high elevation vineyard in Fermoselle is crazy delicious with deep layers of blueberry, pomegranate, açaí and earthy currant fruits, but with racy acidity, a nice umami crunchiness, spicy notes and mineral elements in a wonderfully soulful and balanced wine. To explain this exotic field blend red wine from Arribes del Duero, you’d have to imagine some amazingly different wines blended together, I am seeing elements of classic Northern Rhones, along with characteristics you find in the red wines of the Alto Adige, as well as something like the Frappato and Nero d’Avola blends in Southern Sicily in the Vittoria region! Laura Lorenzo is one of the most heroic and iconic winemakers in Spain these days and her Daterra Viticultores label is one of the most intriguing in the wine world….The vivid and floral (violet) toned Camino de la Frontera Tinto comes from an ancient parcel with vines that are well over a hundred years old at 650 meters above sea level…. The grapes, which are all organic, were hand-harvested then traditionally foot-trodden using about 50% whole-cluster and 50% de-stemmed in this year, with as per normal with Laura’s natural wines, was wild yeast fermented. Lorenzo, who believes in transparency and wines that deliver textural pleasure, used a combination of large French oak and a 1000L chestnut wood foudre to ferment in and then this Camino de la Frontera Tinto was raised in the same vessels for 11 months. As expected in wines like this there was no manipulation during the winemaking process here and Laura’s wines see only a small dose of SO2 with all of her wines being unfined and unfiltered to preserve purity as well as showcase the individual terroirs and every distinct nuance to be found in the finished wines. This is compelling stuff and perfectly delivers everything I love about these Daterra Viticultores wines, which are sultry, earthy seductive and celebrate a sense of wildness that captures the essence of this region and the Galician cool Atlantic climate and rugged charms. “
Importer note “Camino de la Frontera Tinto comes from Angel’s ancient, northwest-facing vineyard in the Parque Natural de Los Arribes del Duero, planted to mostly Juan Garcia, Tinta Madrid (aka Tempranillo), and Rufete balanced by other indigenous varieties. After a cool, wet & humid summer, the grapes were hand-harvested on September 20-21st, 50% foot-trodden whole-cluster and 50% destemmed, wild yeast fermented in a used 4000L French oak cask and a 1000L chestnut foudre with 11 days of skin maceration, then raised in the same vessels for 11 months. This is a red wine of elegant rusticity, with a floral nose and a touch of toasty oak from the new foudre, along with soft tannins and bright acidity.”
 

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Avinyo is synonymous with delivering exceptional quality at a proletariats price. Growing organically and with holdings at 820 feet above sea level and higher, these are benchmark examples of “Grower Cava”. Their entry level is sourced from an indigenous cultivar of Muscat grown at 1,000 feet above sea level and bottled as a Petillant, resulting in lower pressure than the Champagne method. Delivering the classic navel orange, musk, sea salt and pear flesh with the slightest hint of residual sugar the petillant is perfectly suited to everything from spicier fare to more delicate options like sushi.    

Their other offerings are equally as compelling even before their price point is considered, with Avinyo being one of the few producers to grow enough Pinot Noir to vinify by itself. Coming from a single vineyard nestled in the mountains, there is a distinctively oceanic and botanical flavors reminiscent of Mont Blanc’s Ultra Blue cologne. Additional notes include Fuji apple skin, orange peel, seashell and mint making this taste more like it came from the Aube in Champagne over Penedès.

Avinyo wines in stock now: 

Avinyo Blanc de Noirs Reserva Cava, 2018 750ML ($39.95) $31.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Importer note “Avinyó was one of the very first wineries in Spain to plant pinot noir on an experimental basis when Avinyó founder Joan Esteve returned from France with vine cuttings in 1980. The resulting Blanc de Noirs comes from this original single-vineyard called La Fassina, planted in 2000 in Avinyonet del Penedès at 250m to 275m. La Fassina receives the most rain of the estate’s vineyards while being protected from the easterly winds by mountains. The fertile soil is deep and well-drained with a silty-clay-loam texture and accumulations of calcium carbonate ideal for pinot noir to flourish and express the unique terruño of the site. The surrounding mountains provide a perfect channel for the cool air to enter the vineyard at night, preserving pinot noir’strademark acidity. Blanc de Noirs is an extremely elegant expression of the La Fassina vineyard, a limited release once a year. Farming is organic.”
 

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!

Avinyo Seleccio La Ticota Gran Reserva Cava 2014 750ML ($49.95) $37 special, 14 bottles in stock now
Importer note “La Ticota, Avinyó’s oldest single vineyard, is a 2ha plot planted in 1940 by their grandfather to 85% xarel-lo and 15% macabeo, in primarily clay-calcareous soil. La Ticota produces one of the most distinctive and complex single-vineyard méthode traditionnelle wines from Spain. Produced in very limited quantities from the best vintages, it is among the great single-vineyard sparkling wines of the world. La Ticota is currently undergoing the certification process in the newly-formed Cava de Paraje designation of the Cava D.O., a new category that recognizes the uniqueness of “a smaller area” of the appellation on the label, similar to Burgundy’s climats or lieux-dits.”
 

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!

Avinyo Petillant Blanc Catalonia 2020 750ML ($19.95) $16 special, 7 bottles in stock now
 

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!

We carry over 6 different bottlings of Spanish Sparkling wine including Raventos, Agusti Torello and Ameztoi
 

 

In many wine areas throughout the world, there are a handful of individuals or families who make “the” wine for their particular region – winemakers who define the style of the region. When it comes to Valpolicella, the Dal Forno family does just that. For more than 30 years, Dal Forno has been producing deeply concentrated Valpolicella, Amarone and Recioto.

Romano Dal Forno , the current winemaker/owner, took over the farm in 1983. Risking everything, he invested a large amount in 1990 to update the winery and refine Dal Forno’s process. The extremely bold flavor of the Valpolicella Superiore is a great example of Dal Forno’s commitment to perfection and their respect for traditional winemaking. Just short of an Amarone, it’s made entirely with fruit that has been dried, though for less time than that legally required for Amarone. A key to the Dal Forno style seems to be an incredibly low yield from their vineyard: each bottle of Valpolicella takes six vines worth of grapes to produce!

Dal Forno in stock now: 

Dal Forno Romano Valpolicella Superiore 2013 750ML ($119.95) $94.50 special, only 18 bottles in stock now
Decanter 97 points “From one of the most iconic wineries in the Orientale, this is aged for two years in oak and a further three in bottle. A proper meditation wine, great with game, strong cheeses or a cigar. It has a huge nose of stewed red fruits, ethereal bramble forest fruits and blackberry jam. Generous, with spicy, bitter cherry-stone freshness. Full-bodied with a rich, intense, spicy undertone.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 95 points “This is a terrific wine that stood out—and stood tall—despite the fact that it was tasted alongside some of Dal Forno’s most important vintages of the top-shelf Amarone. If that’s not a full-on recommendation, I don’t know what is…”

Dal Forno Romano Amarone 2010 750ML ($349.95) $319 special, only five bottles available
Decanter 98 points “2010 is a more considered vintage compared to the outright opulence of 2009, but it’s no shrinking violet, especially in Dal Forno’s hands…”
James Suckling 97 points “Aromas of roses and other flowers with a deep fruit intensity. Full-bodied, dense and ultra-fine with a beautiful texture. Lots of new wood now but this will amalgamate with time into the wine. Fabulous potential. Drink or hold.”
Wine Spectator 95 points “Like a gymnast, this focused red shows both power and grace. Finely meshed flavors of blackberry puree, fig cake and Earl Grey tea leaf are framed by refined, dusty tannins, with a lasting finish expands on the palate with spice and smoky mineral details. Drink now through 2030. 450 cases imported. — AN”

Dal Forno Romano Amarone 2011 750ML ($419.95) $369 special, only 6 bottles available
Decanter 99 points “The strongest wine in my selection, yet this magnificent Amarone’s alcohol is barely visible thanks to its astonishing depth, texture and sumptuousness… Beautifully crafted, as dignified as any grand Barolo.”
Ian D’Agata-Vinous 95+ points “Fully saturated ruby. Very deep, intense aromas of blackcurrant, plums macerated in alcohol, soy sauce, coffee and underbrush on the complex nose. Rich, dense and balanced, with nicely focused flavors of dark berries and aromatic herbs that have a noteworthy savory tang. The long finish features repeating hints of soy sauce, espresso and underbrush. Dal Forno’s is the recognized master of a uniquely powerful, ripe, and concentrated style of Amarone.”

Dal Forno Romano Amarone 2012 750ML ($419.95) $319 special, only eight bottles available
James Suckling 97 points “A decadent nose of treacle tart, chocolate, tar, tons of black fruit such as blackberries and mulberries and even ash and licorice. A dense, layered mouthfeel makes for a full-bodied palate that’s explosive yet somehow so refined and pretty all at the same time. The finish goes on and on. Incredible now, but better to wait for this giant to settle well into 2020.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2012 Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta is a beautifully complete wine, even at this young stage in its life… It has only just started its evolutionary journey.”
Decanter 96 points “…Exuberant, dense and chewy with peppery black fruit flavours, while showing some delicacy of aroma. Intense and will develop further, perhaps offering more power than grace. Andrew Jefford: It’s not showy on the nose but is super-attractive, and it just grows more so the more time you spend with it. On the palate it’s rich, deep, magnificently tannic and long – an absolutely unbridled Amarone, yet at the same time of extraordinary resonance, authority and subtlety. An Amarone masterclass! Monty Waldin: Its evident concentration really comes through on the palate, with a mix of smooth and slightly more savoury, drier tannins that mingle amicably under some ripely sweet red fruit, while finishing with a distinct brightness.”