Lino Ramble 'Blind Man's Bluff' Bastardo 2019

Lino Ramble is the personal project of Andy Coppard and Ange Townsend, both previously at Kay Brothers in McLaren Vale. They are both big fans of emerging Italian varietals such as Fiano, Nero d'Avola and  Montepulciano.

The wines are natural to the extent there are no deliberate wine-making inputs save for a little (tiny actually) sulphur. Much of the fruit is organically certified.

Trousseau or Trousseau Noir, also known as Bastardo and Merenzao, is an old variety of red wine grape originating in eastern France. It is grown in small amounts in many parts of Western Europe; the largest plantations are today found in Portugal, where most famously it is used in port wine.

"A vestige of a former age, when fortified wines ruled the domestic scape, this is a wonderful eminently gulpable and immensely enjoyable lightish sassy red, seared with a core of McLaren Vale warmth across its chest. Known as trousseau in the uber-fashionable Jura, this goes under the Portuguese moniker. Think a swirl of ripe red berries soused with root spice, a dash of pepper, orange rind, strewn herb, tamarind and anise. This coaxes one in for another glass, then another. Dangerous stuff in the most beautiful sense. This country should make more wines like this." 92pts - Ned Goodwin - Wine Companion