VINEA MARSON NEBBIOLO 2006

- Heathcote, VIC

- $40-$50

- Cork (Diam)

- 13.5%alc

Nebbiolo can be a difficult wine to make, which generally puts it out of reach of your day to day drinker, but for my money it's the new variety most likely to consistently produce world-beating Australian wines. What I love most about Australian nebbiolo, is how it presents a striking contrast to the pre-conceived notion of rich, heavy, ultra-ripe, porty Aussie reds, whilst performing at a standard comparable to our country's modern day benchmarks.

Rising up with fragrant tones of rose petal, orange rind and exotic spice, Vinea Marson's 2006 is initially airy in its feminine lift but underneath that first layer of aroma lies something darker and more masculine; as deeper notes of dark cherry, tar and licorice invite the nose repeatedly towards a deep, multi-faceted bouquet of undoubted complexity and grace. Light-medium bodied, lean and brittle, its palate anxiously buzzes into the mouth with an electrifying acidity, but when you look beyond that brisk structure you'll discover a satisfying depth of savoury red fruit flavours that actually form something soft and supple. To finish, the sour-edged acidity regroups and hangs around till the end, dragging with it some ultra-fine tannins and a complex unison of orange rind and tar notes that make the aftertaste particularly appealing and flavoursome, if a bit tense.

ü There's tons of character, complexity and structure here, but it hasn't brought itself together just yet. Either give it a good decant, some good home cooking or a stint in the cellar. Drink 2014-2018.

93 points

www.vineamarson.com