Ballandean Estate Saperavi 2018

There are some wines that come along and knock you off your feet, and this is one of them. The saperavi grape variety can be hard work, and, to be brutally honest, it is not a favourite. But this wine puts saperavi in a completely different light and I’m almost certain it is the best wine that I have yet enjoyed from Queensland’s Granite Belt.

Saperavi is a Georgian grape variety which is hardly seen far outside of its homeland. It generally creates very deeply coloured wines backed by spine tingling acidity. These are not wines you want to attempt without a couple of lamb shanks at the ready. But this version matches up that acidity with sweet fleshy fruit making for a delicious package.

It is a bright deep ruby in colour with ripe fruits – mulberry, blackberry and some new leather too. On the palate it is a wild full-bodied ride with juicy fruit, balanced acidity and plenty of complexity, including pepper, dried herbs, a touch of oak and a meaty finish. It’s on the savoury side so match it up with red meat for optimal enjoyment.