I'll start by answering the obvious question. What is Lagrein? It is a red wine grape that has its home in Italy in the Alto Aldige region near the border of Austria. Amietta claims to have the only commercial blend of these two grapes and it is one of a handful of Australian plantings of this vine and fits comfortably in the mould of cool climate Shiraz. It has creamy mouthfeel with a significant amount of spicyness and very fine tannins. It has sweet red berry fruit reminiscent of raspberries, almost heading into some dark plum characteristics. This wine has some of that elusive flavour without a name; a blend of oak and fruit and flavours derived from age, sort of mushroomy and leathery but undeniably attractive and alluring, the quality that makes you want to keep smelling and tasting the wine. It doesn't dominate the wine; in fact its most obvious and forward characteristics are its freshness and ripe fruit, not to be confused with simplicity. This wine retails for around  $30 in bottle shops, or through BenandWine, just drop us a line.

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