Zonte’s Footsteps Rosso Cova McLaren Vale Montepulciano 2021

The evocative label says it all. Crack open a bottle with your favourite pasta and enjoy. This McLaren Vale Monte is perfect for it. Rossa Cova translates to brooding red, I am assured, and that certainly applies to the deep red colour, though the wine itself is more expressive and exhilarating than brooding. Again, no matter. Montepulciano is obviously at home in McLaren Vale.

The wine is bright and intense with concentrated flavours. Tobacco leaf notes, red and black fruits, spices, mulberries – saturated flavours. A wine of focus, there is a fine line of acidity running the full journey, through to a firm finish with slightly chunky tannins. Delicious stuff.