2023 Coriole Negroamaro, McLaren Vale

This is a very good showing of Negroamaro. It has all the varietal touchstones of black jellybean, bitter almond, dried herbs and sour cherry fruit. Tannin has a gentle scratchiness, and the acidity is vibrant but settled into a core of blue and black fruit. It’s kind of steely, with blood orange and a juicy sweet and sour finish of good length. Bang on.

93 points Gary Walsh winefront.com.au

The grape name translates to 'black bitter', and the wines from Puglia are often deeply coloured, richly fruited and high in alcohol. This is none of those things. It has familiar dry tobacco, anise and caraway spice notes, but it’s fermented cool to capture energetic varietal definition. Dried black cherry, marasca cherry, dried oregano, sour plum, orange peel and a rugged earthiness feature across the mid-weight frame, with spirited acidity and Italianate tannins completing a compellingly lithe picture.

93 points Special Value Marcus Ellis winecompanion.com.au

This is delicious. An outlier among alternative varieties, negroamaro feels intuitive, as if it was meant to be here. Succulent and savory, boasting aromas of sour dark plums, beef bouillon and baking spices. The trajectory of fruit sweetness grows with air, driving a sappy, bitter and almost dusty finish with a swath of gentle tannins. A hint of rosewater in the finish. Drink now. Screw cap.

93 points Ned Goodwin MW jamessuckling.com

One of the more adventurous chapters in Coriole’s long history with Mediterranean varieties, this Negroamaro shows how comfortably southern Italian grapes settle into McLaren Vale. The Lloyd family planted the variety to explore the Vale’s natural affinity with warm climate reds that hold freshness, and the site’s sandy loams and maritime influence shape a wine that balances ripeness with savoury edge. Guided by winemaker Duncan Lloyd, the style aims to preserve varietal character while keeping the wine vibrant and food friendly.

Viticulture focuses on flavour development and natural acidity, allowing Negroamaro’s dark fruit and herbal tones to build without heaviness. In the cellar, fermentation is tuned to protect perfume and texture, with oak used sparingly to frame the wine rather than dominate it. The result is a red that feels rustic in spirit but polished in execution.

Deep ruby in colour, the aromas open with blackberry, black cherry and plum layered with dried herbs, liquorice and earthy spice. The palate is medium to full bodied and supple, with dark fruit wrapped in fine tannins and fresh acidity. Flavours of berry, bitter chocolate and savoury herbs run long through a dry, gently grippy finish.

It pairs beautifully with grilled meats, pizza, pasta and Mediterranean dishes rich in olive oil and herbs. Drinking impressively now, it will cellar comfortably for six to eight years, gaining savoury complexity.