This week's wine has a deep garnet-red colour and a pronounced bouquet of blackberries and blackcurrants.
On the palate there's a definite taste of blackberries and spice with a hint of mint and chocolate plus a little vanilla oak.
It's 13 per cent alcohol, just right for the fruit content. This wine has a lovely structure with good acidity and a longish finish. Ideal accompaniment for pasta, veal and lamb dishes.
De Bortoli is based in the Riverina region of New South Wales. They are famous for their noble rot wine - "the noble one".
They've made this wine from 77 per cent cabernet and 23 per cent merlot, each fermented separately. They then experience malolactic fermentation on French and American oak staves (a bit cheaper than oak casks).
This method has resulted in a well-structured wine without oak dominance. This bottle came from Oddbins priced at £4.99.
In the same store by contrast is an Argentinian malbec from the Norton Company. It's also 2006 and 13 per cent alcohol but this one is big, rich and meaty with soft smooth tannins and deep warm spicy fruit. Again only £4.99 - try it with roast pork.
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