2015 infidels - primitivo
the wine front - review by mike bennie
Primitivo from McLaren Vale, nurtured by Dudley and Irina Brown. It spends time, appropriately, in American oak barrels. I wonder what American oak barrel sales are like in Australia these days, since the heady 90s and 00s. Naturally fermented, no additions, sent to bottle with low sulphur for preservative.
Soft, slurpable, super pleasing thing this is. Strong scents of currants, Chinese five spice, sour plums. The palate is more of the Chinese sour plum vibe with anise, sarsaparilla and bay leaf. It’s quite powerful but all under control, hewn with sinewy tannins, dragged long on fresh acidity. There’s impact here of the variety but all bundled up and kept firm and true. It’s a very good example.