Sangiovese Merlot, Il Sacrato, Italy (6 bottle case)

Tasting Notes: A wonderful blend of Sangiovese and Merlot, in which the structure and weight of the Sangiovese complements the plummy earthiness of the Merlot. A succulent, mediumbodied wine with fresh cherry fruits, subtle complexity and a peppery bite on the finish.

Producer: These wines are produced by Italy's fastest-growing wine company, the superb Gruppo Cevico, based in Italy's heartland in Emilia Romagna. I

Winemaking: Each grape variety was vinified separately. The grapes were crushed and cold soaked for 12 hours, before being fermented in temperature controlled vats for five days with daily pumpovers to extract colour and flavour from the skins. The wine was pressed and transferred to concrete tank where it underwent malolactic conversion. The cuvées were carefully blended before bottling.