Laithwaites Wine - Il Primo, Selezionato di Alberto Romeo Sangiovese Shiraz

Tasting Note
Description
Awards
Mixed Cases
If you like

Tasting note
Colour - Very deep crimson red.

Aroma - Lots of spicy cherry and dark plum aromas.

Taste - Rounded and chewy with lots of dark red fruits, with hints of savoury tobacco.

Type:Still Red Wine	Country:Argentina	Appellation:Mendoza
Grape Type:Red blend	Drink Before:End of 2010	Body:Medium Bodied
Alcohol:13%	Bottle Size:75cl	Bottle Code:60555

Serving suggestions
This weighty red makes a warming glass on its own, but is at its best with hearty food - roast lamb, rib of beef, lasagne, or a rich casserole of haricot bean, squash and chorizo. Drink by end 2010

Description
Il Primo is our Argentinian version of Chianti Classico ... with a bit of a twist. It's largely Sangiovese, chief grape of course of Chianti, with a little extra pizazz from a portion of Shiraz, a rare combination of grapes from South America which certainly delivers ... loads of big, ripe spicy fruit over its structure of rounded tannins.

The wine is the work of Opi Sadler, highly awarded winemaker of the Andean Vineyards winery in Mendoza (they also have a cellar in San Juan), the most acclaimed winery in Argentina.

Near to the ultra-modern cellar is a vineyard owned by Alberto Romeo. Like half of Argentina's population, Alberto originated from Italy, arriving from Tuscany with his family in 1944. He first bought a small olive grove, but soon decided he'd rather be a vine-grower like his father. In 1992, he planted this 10-hectare plot of Sangiovese vines to serve as a reminder of his roots. Opi jumped at the chance of being able to work with such a fine vat of grapes. He took all Alberto's harvest in 2007, adding a portion of 15% Shiraz just to give the wine a little extra oomph and richness.

International Wine Challenge 2008, United Kingdom