Mr Riggs Montepulciano d’Adelaide 2023

The quirky name has some context to it, the wine sourced from two vineyards in different regions, one in Kersbrook (Adelaide Hills) and the other in Blewitt Springs (McLaren Vale), both of which sit under a larger official appellation known as the Adelaide zone. The name also refers to winemaker Ben Riggs’s love of the Montepulciano in Italy’s Abruzzo region, and his desire to create a worthy South Australian reflection. That he has – a vibrant wine nose to tail, of sun-kissed violet flowers with an underlayer of dusty cellars, toast and blackberry conserve, the palate echoing its aromatics, rich yet balanced, an exotic spicy feel threaded within the flavour profile. A fruit-forward style in a modern frame – tasty to the hilt.