Calabria Three Bridges Durif 2013

Want red wine you can chew on, for a very fair price? Then Bill Calabria is your man. Bill’s ‘Calabria Wines’ (nee Westend) are constant overachievers in the weight-per-dollar equation, with this typically blockbusting Durif Exhibit A. Nice bloke too, is Bill. Hard-working. Shakes everyone’s hands in a room. Always excited. Seems much younger than his age, even though he’s had as many wins and losses (I talk more about Bill and his Durif here).

Deep, purple maroon coloured, this Durif is exactly what you expect. Hugely rich (oak and fruit rich) with plum and blackberry jam on the nose, alongside swathes of sweet coco vanilla oak, big purple fruit flavours and a real juicy sweetness. Admittedly it’s hardy a subtle wine, the finish warm, the acid high too. But bang for buck this is a star. You just know people are going to love this, in all its unapologetic weight and fill. Recommended. Drink: 2015-2025. 17/20, 90/100

Details: 14.5%, Screwcap, $25, Sample
Would I buy it? I don’t think I could drink more than a glass. At least not yet. It’s just so… enveloping. But it has a place.
Buy online: Calabria Wines website

Wine

About me – Andrew Graham

At 18 I started working in a small suburban bottleshop, largely to buy cheap beer. It was my first year of university, doing a degree that I didn't really like, and a liquor shop seemed like fun. Needless to say I discovered wine, my uni degree morphed into something completely different and wine/beer took over my life.

Almost twenty years later and I currently spend my days wearing many (wine) hats, mostly as a writer, presenter and marketer.

While wearing my writer cap I write features for the likes of National Liquor News, Gourmet Traveller WINE and the RAS plus I'm a Lifestyle FOOD channel wine expert. Read more about me here or get in touch to book your next wine event with me here.

Calabria Three Bridges Durif 2013