De Bortoli Melba Amphora Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Steve Webber and his team have been playing around with different takes on traditional Australian winemaking for a while now and this is the latest reveal. It is quite a departure for Aussie red winemaking and is a sort of back-to-basics approach. The wine, which comes from the Melba vineyard in the Yarra Valley, is left on skins in a clay amphora vessel for 150 days, before being removed and pressed to older French oak for another 150 days. The process tends to soften the tannin and contributes to the vibrant colour. It’s a highly perfumed wine with a thoroughly beautiful and seductive palate feel. The structure sits comfortably within the fruit creating a wine of poise and subtlety.