Pikes Il Premio Sangiovese 2022

This price for an Aussie Sangiovese is really throwing down the gauntlet to Tuscany. There is nowhere to hide if it does not measure up. This is the third release of this wine, since its inclusion in the Reserve range and for me, it contends as the best yet. The team have been growing Sangiovese in the Polish Hill River sub-region for more than thirty years. The final wine is a barrel selection, with the barrels, older French barriques, in wood for eight months maturation. The colour is a dark cherry red. We have notes of dry herbs, raspberries, spices, smoked meats and bay leaves on the nose. There is good freshness here and a supple and gentle palate. There is also bright acidity, silky tannins and a hint of almond bitterness on a long finish. For enjoying over the next four to six years.