THE ODDBALL SAPERAVI 2018

Appearance: Brilliant blacks and purples

Nose: Rose oil and black tar and floral blossom

Palate: Punchy cherry fruit, thyme, tobacco and cedar. Chewy tannins keep fruit generously in check. Lingering notes of fenugreek seeds and maple syrup

Food Pairing: Saperavi is a very food friendly grape due to its natural high acidity. Traditional Georgian food has a plethora of flavours and spices and Saperavi can keep up. Personally we like The Oddball with a good charred steak or slow cooked lamb shoulder

About the wine: Hugh Hamilton is the 5th generation of a large wine dynasty and is regarded as the black sheep of the family.

His daughter and 6th generation of the family, Mary, continues the legacy making Hugh Hamilton Australia’s oldest wine family.

The genesis of Saperavi came about from Hugh’s connection with Georgian winemaker Lado Uzunashvili. He waxed lyrical about his country’s great red grape and despite its absolute rarity in Australia at the time, Hugh decided to give it a go! 13 vintages later, Hugh Hamilton continues to lead the Australian charge with this exotic Georgian grape.

Country: McLaren Vale, Australia

Grape Variety: Saperavi

ABV: 14.9%