SOUMAH Mezzaluna Reserve Nebbiolo 2022
- 94
- $92
- Drink by: 2026-2038
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The team at Soumah have noticed that the changing climate has meant that the Yarra Valley is now starting to mirror the climate of northern Italy. If they can replicate the great Barolos from Piedmont, then we are in for some exciting times. They have been offering a single vineyard Nebbiolo from the Hexham Vineyard in the Yarra since 2015. This wine is evidence of the evolution of the style and a large step along the journey. Experience now leads them to leaving the fruit on skins for more than 100 days and for maturation to take place in older 500-litre puncheons. They have been keen to release a Reserve Nebbiolo and 2022 finally provided the conditions to encourage that. This is that wine. When making it, they extended time in the puncheons by an extra twelve months. The colour is a pale garnet, while the nose weaves through aromas of red fruits, warm earth, charcuterie, raspberries, bay leaves, coffee grinds, aniseed, florals and dried herbs. The wine is focused and has real direction. The level of elegance exhibited here is a little unexpected, but most welcome. A sleek texture leads to fine tannins on an impressively long finish and a line of fine acidity runs the full journey. Enjoy this over the next ten to twelve years.
Ken was born and bred in Brisbane, Queensland. He had a non-trendy, perfectly happy childhood, in a family convinced alcohol meant instant condemnation to Hades. But a break fishing on the Great Barrier Reef, and some good wine, started a serious obsession that eventually took over. It did not stop Ken being chastised later for drinking Pol champagne, disgusted he’d drink anything made by a Cambodian dictator. Now, Ken mostly writes on wine, champagne and spirits for various newspapers, magazines and books, but is perhaps best known for his work in The Courier Mail. He also has a little sideline writing on cigars, fishing, travel and food. When not writing, fly-fishing for trout in NZ or bonefish on the flats of Cuba, travelling or smoking cigars, he is no doubt following a variety of sporting teams – the occasionally glorious Queensland Reds rugby, the dysfunctional Washington Redskins, the dodgy Arsenal and especially revels in the world restored to its proper axis with the return of the Ashes to their rightful home.
