Primo Estate Joseph Sparkling Red, McLaren Vale

Primo Estate Joseph Sparkling Red from McLaren Vale is one of Australia’s most iconic celebratory wines, a richly layered, velvety and utterly distinctive sparkling red crafted by the Scarpantonio family with a blend of tradition, innovation and Italian heritage. The base wine is built on aged stocks of McLaren Vale Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, some of them many years old, drawn from low yielding vineyards rooted in ancient ironstone and sandy clay soils around Clarendon and McLaren Vale. These parcels provide incredible depth, perfume and texture. The magic, however, lies in the solera system Joseph maintains: each year a portion of older wine is held back, blending with the new vintage to form a deep reserve that adds mysterious complexity and haunting richness.

Second fermentation takes place in bottle, just as in traditional sparkling houses, allowing Joseph to develop a fine mousse and creamy texture. The wine then spends extended time on lees, building further nutty, savoury, chocolate edged depth before disgorgement and a carefully judged dosage rounds off the structure. It is equal parts patience and passion, and the result is uniquely Australian.

The aroma is enchanting: mulberry, blackberry compote and dark cherry mingle with Christmas cake spice, cocoa, vanilla bean, cinnamon, cedar and dried violets. There are undertones of blackberry liqueur, rum soaked raisin and roasted nuts, all wrapped in a gentle earth and mocha warmth.

The palate is plush, deep and remarkably harmonious. Juicy black fruit glides through a creamy, velvet foam, carried by subtle acidity that keeps everything lifted. Rich flavours of plum, blackberry, sweet spice, chocolate and dark cherries slowly unfurl into savoury accents of cola, mocha, dried herbs and oak spice. The finish is long, smooth and gently sweet, yet cleansing, with lingering dark fruit and festive spice. Impressive now, it will evolve for many years, developing truffle-like and tertiary nuances.

It is magnificent beside glazed ham, roast turkey, barbecued meats, chocolate desserts, berry pavlova, aged cheddar or enjoyed on its own as a celebratory centrepiece.