Vinea Marson Nebbiolo 2015

"A most accomplished and complex nebbiolo. There's incredible depth of fruit flavour and layers of winemaking on show. But first to the perfume: rose petal, musk, sour cherry, anise and tobacco leaf. Tannins and acidity under control but lurking, a sheen of herbs and spiced-infused red berries. Come back to it and it has changed in the glass, a chameleon.’ 96 Points.  Jeni Port - 2021 Halliday Wine Companion

Rather pale, tawny/brick-red colour, looking much older than it is. Lovely complex bouquet of mature nebbiolo: 'roasting pan' aromas, earthy undergrowth an tobacco nuances, dried flowers and herbs, the palate unexpectedly intense, penetrating and powerful, with great flavour that is mellow and multi-layered and very long-lasting. Vibrant acidity cleanses the aftertaste. A left-field style of wine in some ways, but ultimately a gorgeous drink. " Huon Hooke. The Real Review.

Yes, Heathcote is famous for its shiraz, and I tasted some great examples when I visited recently (I’ll write about them next week), but some of the most outstanding wines I tried were made from the Italian grape nebbiolo, particularly those from Jasper Hill, Tar & Roses, and this one from Vinea Marson: intensely, entrancingly aromatic (classic chestnut and truffle) and tongue-huggingly tannic, but also translucent, fine and harmonious. Already six years old, but also a wine for the cellar: the 2008, also tasted on my trip, is in a sweet spot for drinking right now. $42.  Max Allan. AFR.