Highlights: Koerner Mammolo 2020, Clare Valley, Australia
Brothers Damon and Jono Koerner show classic and alternative Clare varieties through a variety of winemaking vessels and styles, all from estate fruit, and all with low intervention. Sciacarello is an Italian red variety that is grown primarily in Corsica, known for its haunting floral perfume. From Watervale’s Vivian Vineyard, planted in 1998 on red and black clay and limestone, this light red preserves the grape’s alluring nature. This was destemmed with 50% whole berry (no whole bunch) before native ferment in steel with twice daily pigeage for two weeks. Previous vintages aged in ceramic amphora for 3 months prior to moving into steel for 7 months of tightening, but with this vintage they’ve moved to 2000 litre Slavonian oak (they wanted to reduce the volatile acidity), then bottling (with Diam 10) without fining or filtration. Light and fragrant with herbal cherry, wild raspberry, perfumed plum, scrubby herbs on a finessed, light palate. Tannins are whisper fine and long, and acidity is effortlessly lofted to a lingering wildflower-kissed, saline-laced finish. Such a pretty, memorable, and charismatic wine. Smashable : serious = the magic ratio.
Find this wine with wine-searcher.com
