Tar & Roses Sangiovese 2018

If you are looking to take your first steps into the wines from Italy, or Italian styled wines, then this is a great place to start. It’s not like an Australian wine masquerading as Italian – this wine is the real deal and comes from Heathcote in Victoria.

It is a big wine and like many Sangioveses, it can take a little while to come out of its shell. It is brooding and youthful, drinking much better on day 2 with layers of dark cherry, dried herbs, and licorice fruit. The palate is very Italian – bone dry, savoury and rustic with earthy almost ironstone flavours supported by powerful fruit that is long and tannic. It’s got great structure and deserves five years aging to show its best. If you are drinking it now make sure you match it up with some slow-cooked beef cheeks.