Schiopetto Rivarossa 2017

Mario Schiopetto founded his eponymous estate in the 1960s and pioneered many modern winemaking techniques in the region. That continues today as the estate makes some of the finest white wines being produced in Italy. Rivarossa demonstrates that Fruili can make interesting red wines too. It's primarily Merlot (90%, with 10% Cabernet Sauvignon) as the variety arrived in Italy shortly after being grown in France, while Fruili is on a similar latitude to Bordeaux. Grown on clay soils and barrel-aged for 14 months, this has a lifted nose of black cherry, tobacco leaf, liquorice and stewed plum. Ripe and dark with broad tannins and fine acidity - a top class red, that offers some really good value in comparison to the super-Tuscans.