Wine of the week: a cosmic red from a vinous necromancer
2010 Il Passo, Nerello Mascalese, Vigneti Zabù, Sicily, Italy (£13.99, www.sipplondon.com; Field & Fawcett, 01904-489073; Noel Young, 01223-844744).
I am going through a very exciting Italian phase right now and it is the perfect time of year to roll out a few sensual, unique, striking reds for you to savour.
Valentino Sciotti (of Vesevo fame) spotted the extraordinary Zabù property on his travels and realised that it had superb vineyards and a decent winery, but it was sorely lacking in the kind of magic which he dispenses with aplomb, like a vinous necromancer.
He and his team have now changed all of that. Made from young Nerello Mascalese and Nero d’Avola vines, grown on the hills around Lake Arancio in Sambuca di Sicilia, this is the most impressive modern Italian red of the moment.
Valentino’s trick is to allow the grapes to dry naturally in the hot Sicilian sun, so that they concentrate their sugars a touch. He then makes this cosmic red in the usual way only with a longer maceration on the skins to extract delicious, plush notes.
It is bottled after six months ageing in barrique, which is pretty short, so it doesn’t mark the wine too much. Hey presto, you have a stunningly luxurious, mouth-coating smorgasbord of black plums, root liquorice, blackberries, espresso beans, tar, violets and balsamico. It is a terrific wine.
• Matthew Jukes is a winner of the International Wine & Spirit Competition’s Communicator of the Year (www.matthewjukes.com).