After Five Wine Co. Aglianico 2021

According to winemaker Craig Stansborough, the grape is “a bit of a bugger to grow.” But the team have got this one right after it took out “Best Red In Show” at the Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Shown in November 2022. Bright purple in the glass. A fragrant and floral amalgam. Deep English red rose petal aromas with light caramel, scorched peanuts, fennel flesh, mocha, green peppercorn spice, purple berries and mossy earth. Medium flesh to the palate before delivering a spiced, upright and uptight frame. Tight plentiful grainy tannins fighting for space with bright acidity. High tuned and toned, the wine wants to cut and thrust. Focused and on point with a long tail and tannin that grumbles and grizzles. Very fine.

Regan Drew

Regan is a regular wine columnist for the News Regional Media "Weekend" Magazine and digital "Life" sections. A graduate of the Australian Wine Research Institute's Advanced Wine Assessment Course #47 he was awarded with Distinction WSET Level 3 in Wine & Spirits, has been an Associate Judge for the New South Wine Awards plus a couple of little stints helping out in the Hunter Valley and Tasmania during vintages with small but quality winemakers.