Pizzini Il Barone 2022 

Here we have the uber-blend of the Pizzini range: 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Shiraz, 22% Sangiovese and 9% Nebbiolo. Each was fermented separately before ageing in a selection of French oak barrels (55% new, 45% one- to two-year-old). Once bottled, it’s matured for a further six to twelve months before release. This is dark-fruited, deep-set and brooding. Blood plum, tobacco, woody spice, cedar, bramble, dark chocolate and ground coffee follow. Blackberry and blackcurrant appear as the wine unfurls, along with violet and hints of bell pepper. The palate is open-knit and medium to full-bodied, yet still with energy and lift – blackberry, black cherry, blackcurrant, cedarwood, tobacco, mint and dried herbs. The tannins are stacked and firm – derived from both grape and oak – putting up a solid frame that carries the wine to long length, with dark fruits and tobacco lingering. A spine of firm acidity cleanses and elongates the back palate. This is an intense, bold wine with solid complexity that will do well with a long rest in the cellar.