2016 Venissa Rosso

The fruit for Venissa’s red – a blend of 82% Merlot and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon in 2016 – comes from Santa Cristina, a private island in the Venice lagoon. This is one of their finest releases to date. At seven years old, the wine is incredibly vibrant and primary. The nose offers fresh herbal notes of rosemary and thyme with bright, crunchy red fruit. There’s a spicy perfume too, almost musky making for a deeply alluring nose. The palate is driven by a tight mouthful of raspberry, redcurrant and red cherry, with chalky tannins framing the juicy fruit. Long, with a reverberating note of spice on the finish, it is utterly moreish. Aged for 12 months in first and second-use oak barriques.