An extraordinary treat at a tiddly price

If you are a devotee of the Jekyll and Hyde Piemontese red grape varieties, this wine is for you, says Matthew Jukes.

Matthew Jukes
By Matthew Jukes
published

2008 Bricco Rosso, Suagn, Langhe Rosso, Piemonte, Italy (£7.25, The Wine Society, 01438-741177).

A cautionary recommendation this week. Only read on if you are a devotee of the fine wines of Piemonte and you are comfortable with the tannin and acid structures of these reds from this epic, little corner of the wine world. I say this because this budget red is, to a lifelong, starstruck, Piemonte acolyte, an extraordinary treat at a tiddly price. It's a tidy blend of dolcetto and nebbiolo and it isn't troubled by any noticeable oak and it looks dead smart to boot.

In the glass you are met by a frighteningly honest rendition of the soil, traditions, flora and fauna of the region. The nose is red-fruit-driven with smoky game nuances and dried herbs. It is delightful and mouth-watering. The palate is slim and it glides along smoothly, but the finish is taut with bright tannins and perky acidity.

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This wine will suit those of you familiar with the Jekyll and Hyde Piemontese red grape varieties, but newcomers might find it all a bit too raw and unreconstructed. It's rare to find an everyday glugger with this class and accuracy at a sniff over seven quid. Just make sure you are prepared before you dive in!

Matthew Jukes is a winner of the International Wine & Spirit Competition's Communicator of the Year (www.matthewjukes.com).

Matthew Jukes
Matthew Jukes

Matthew Jukes has worked in the UK wine business for well over three decades and during this time has written 14 wine books.  

Matthew regularly lectures, judges, speaks at wine conferences and runs masterclass tastings for both corporate and private clients all over the world. Matthew is also the creator of his ground-breaking initiative, the One Day Wine School, an indulgent day of tasting and learning first performed in 2006.

He has been the MoneyWeek wine correspondent since 2006 and has written a weekly column for the Daily Mail’s Weekend Magazine since 1999. His four highly-acclaimed, annual wine reports – the Burgundy En Primeur Report, the Bordeaux En Primeur Report, the Piemonte Report and the 100 Best Australian Wines – are published on his website, www.matthewjukes.com.

Matthew is one of the world’s leading experts on Australian wine and, with Brisbane-based wine writer Tyson Stelzer, runs an annual competition in Australia to find ‘The Great Australian Red’.  He was made Honorary Australian of the Year in the UK at the 2012 Australia Day Foundation Gala dinner. 

Matthew is a winner of the International Wine and Spirit Competition's Communicator of the Year Trophy.  His thoughts, recommendations and tastings notes are followed very closely by the wine world at large.

 

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