2022 Fairbank Vino Rosso - Aglianico & Cabernet Sauvignon

Bronze - 89 points 2024 James Halliday Wine Companion

A new wine for Sutton Grange Winery coming from the need to utilise a great parcel of Aglianico wine that didn’t quite suite our Estate Wine program. On the bench a synergy between our very late picked Aglianico and a riper Cabernet Sauvignon batch quickly became apparent. The result was a revelation to us all and could best be described as our take of a 'Super Campanian'.

Jeni Port said, "Aglianico, a southern Italian grape, brings its full suite of distinctive characters - body, tannin and acidity - to bear in this aglianico/cabernet blend. The latter of which brings warmth, structure and energy. Brilliant glistening purple colour. Black cherry, cassis, spiced plum, white pepper, aniseed, tilled earth with a gentle herbal overlay on a taut vinous-scape courtesy of pronounced sinewy tannins. These Italian and French odd fellow grapes get along famously together."

Both parcels were destemmed to small open fermenters and cold soaked for 3 days then warmed for fermentation. Each fermenter was gently plunged twice a day during active fermentation and pressed when dry before racking to good quality old French barriques. MLF and maturation occurred in barrel before blending in November and bottling in December 2022. Vino Rosso exhibits vibrant fruit with perfumed characters and a hint of leaf. Fresh and juicy in the mouth the tannins provide richness and structure from the Cabernet Sauvignon melded with the savory characters and refreshing grip of the Aglianico.