Chalmers Piedirosso 2021

Described in “Wine Grapes” (aka the ‘new testament’ of wine, after the Oxford Companion to Wine) as a “fresh, aromatic Campanian”. It’s a very old variety (potentially 16th century) and the name refers to ‘red feet’ – a red stalk and stem as the variety reaches ripeness. This one comes from Chalmers’ Heathcote vineyards on the famous Cambrian soils. It has aromas of blackberry and blood plum, and a graphite rock minerality. Known for having a herbal edge, in this wine it presents as a Vietnamese mint character – that fresh peppery, minty lift with deeper aniseed undertones. In the mouth there is a moreish roasted tomato note and fine tannins that tango with the savoury complexity. Quirky, sultry and begging for a pizza.