Herdade Do Rocim ‘Mariana’ 2019

Husband and wife Pedro and Catarina started Rocim in the Alentejo, a vast emerging region inland from Lisbon and close to the Spanish border. It gets bloody hot there, but these guys really know how to keep their wines fresh.

Mariana (named after a nun) is a blend of touriga nacional, aragonez (tempranillo), alicante bouschet and trincadeira which spend 6 months in French Oak after fermentation. The nose has the sweet pungency of crushed cherry and blackberry kissed by the sun complemented by a subtle layer of sweet cinnamon and warming spices. Supple, pulpy and soft with the right amount of concentration and a perfectly balanced acidity, which, in such a warm climate, is the greatest achievement.

Andrea Infimo

Born and raised in Naples, Italy, Andrea came to Australia in 2013 after graduating with an environmental science degree. While working as a waiter in between jobs, Andrea found he enjoyed hospitality much more than his previous career during a stint working at MoVida Sydney. After a short apprenticeship at 121 BC, Sydney’s ground-breaking gem for Lo-Fi Italian wines, and a few months with the Lotus Group, Andrea moved to Melbourne and reunited with Movida. He’s been curating the highly regarded Wine List at Movida Melbourne, including one of the country's finest Spanish selections, for the past 3 years while studying for the WSET diploma.