Soumah 2022 Mezzaluna

 

If you are a lover of simple fresh and fruity red wines then this is not one for you. If, however, you favour food-friendly, sophisticated reds then this might be right up your dinner party alley. This is the reserve nebbiolo offering from Yarra Valley Italian specialist Soumah, made from grapes grown in a Hexham vineyard that produces intense fruit and taut tannins. The wine spent 100 days on skins after fermentation, adding texture, before three years maturing in oak puncheons. It is seriously sturdy, savoury, structured and  cellar worthy; earthy and spicy with hints of dried herbs. pair with winter casseroles. The name Mezzaluna means half-moon in Italian, indicating this is only made in the best vintages. Let it breathe before pouring. $92. https://soumah.com.au/

Bremerton 2022 Tamblyn

Meet a serious red wine bargain from Langhorne Creek in South Australia that is ready for immediate enjoyment and is extremely food friendly. The Tamblyn - named after family ancestors from Cornwall - is a blend of 43% cabernet sauvignon, 39% shiraz, 12% malbec and 6% merlot made  by the Willson family. It offers a lot of drinking pleasure for a relative pittance. Soft and stylish with some savoury notes, it is a match for a wide range of dishes. This would be just as happy paired with a barbecue, pizza or pasta dishes as it would with a Sunday roast with all the trimmings. It is a wine that could probably be cellared for a few years - but why bother? $20. https://www.bremerton.com.au/