The Waxed Bat Shiraz Petit Verdot Reserve| Red Blend | Argentina

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Seriously rich arrival from Argentina - a 'Best in Class' treasure that's already a huge hit!

The Waxed Bat is a wine you can taste with your eyes. Pitch-dark, dense, a swirl stains your glass. And it tastes as smoothly rich as it looks, with layers of tasty, fresh black fruit. Quite something then, and a style dynamic winemaker Opi Sadler has mastered thanks to Argentina's unique climate.

It's high here in Mendoza, with constant dazzling sunshine (bar some 25 cloudy days a year), and it's goose-pimply cool at night - an ideal combination for colour, ripeness and a freshness of flavour Aussie winemakers only dream of.

Mainly using small-berried, concentrated Shiraz (not common here), Opi added a splash of intense Petit Verdot (very rare) to set the seal on this newcomer. Having already won a Trophy for his Malbec, he's now notched up another with this! To show us how dark (opaque!) it is, Opi raised a glass to the Andean sun - and, yes, it blocked it out completely!

Fathomless black colour, with ripe blackberry rising from the glass. Fills the mouth with a core of rich blackberry and mulberry, a dash of exotic spice and a deliciously long-lasting finish. Take it seriously with char-grilled steaks, roast duck and mature cheddar.