Coriole Vita Reserve Sangiovese 2009 (McLaren Vale, SA) 
13.5%, Screwcap, $50
Source: Sample
www.coriole.com

If any Australian winery could get Sangiovese ‘right’, then surely it would be Coriole, one of our Sangio pioneers (first plantings in 1985). I don’t thing the heat wave 2009 vintage was especially kind to Vale Sangiovese (’twas a great Grenache and Mourvedre year in McLaren Vale instead) yet this is still very solid drinking.

You can see that vintage heat via the roast almond/roast beef edges to the redcurrant fruit, the dryness evident on both nose and palate, capped off with warm year, coarse grained tannins. Those dusty tannins lifts this up actually, giving a sense of vitality to what is a trying-to-be-generous-but-not-quite palate.

Plenty of promise and savoury appeal, this is probably more open and mid palate rich than I’m describing it, yet I’m hung up on the tannins, which I quite like.

Will only get better, if not quite a satisfying drink yet.

Drink: 2016-2025+
Score: 17/20 90/100
Would I buy it? Not yet. Maybe with bottle age?