Palladino, Biferno Rosso Riserva 2009, Molise, Italy
Biferno is a tiny appellation in the centre-south of Italy, next door to Abruzzo. And the wine is a wonderful, fruity red made from Montepulciano, the mainstay of Abruzzo, Aglianico, more commonly associated with Campania and Basilicata to the south and, finally, a little of the white grape Trebbiano. Intriguingly, though it's a 2009 vintage given long ageing in both barrel and bottle, it has also been 'refreshed' with a little young wine. The result is a wonderfully aromatic and seductive wine with cherry and floral lift, but a deep, plum and liquorice richness of fruit and sily texture, the tannins mellowed into a flowing molten mass into the finish. Watch the video for my full review, including much more detail and food matching suggestions. £7.50, The Wine Society.