Savaterre Sagrantino 2016

Quite strong in smoky notes and char, choc-licorice, and earthiness, you could say savoury but there’s a strong ‘ripe’ element in the wine, dark cherry and plummy fruit abides here. Medium weight, mouth-coating, spicy, smoky, and meaty on the palate, with almost no fruit character and all savouriness here, which in itself is curious and also quite compelling. It certainly feels like a version of the variety, and acidity and tannin are rippling through the wine. It’s a wine for spending a lot of time with, it feels. And you’ll have to like all that elemental character. I did.