Purple Hands Mataro Grenache Shiraz 2019

If you want to know what mataro brings to the traditional Rhone blends then get your laughing gear around this wine which is mataro, or Mourvedre, though and through. It’s a big wine – a tannin bomb that is deeply coloured and flavoured. It’s brooding and even a little mysterious to start with baked earth and spice aromas dominating plus dark fruits sitting underneath. But with time and some air choc-blackberry aromas start to build with some blueberry thrown in too. The palate is muscular and tannin city, but with plenty of fruit underneath that drives what is a powerful and mouthfilling style to its long and satisfying finish. If you want to open it now, make sure it is matched with slow-cooked beef cheeks but try to keep your hand off as its best days are some way off when those tannins have been softened by time.