Alpha Box & Dice Enigma Barbera

A modern, cutting-edge collection of wines - just look at the labels - from the passionate and slightly bonkers trio of Dylan and Justin Fairweather and winemaker Sam Berketa. AB&D was founded in McLaren Vale in 2008 and is unconventional in its approach; there are no regional, varietal or stylistic' boundaries, just great wines from great fruit. The plan is to craft a different wine for every letter of the alphabet - from Apostle (Shiraz-Durif blend) to Zaptung (crown-capped Prosecco). Each wine is unique and has a story and eye-catching label to go with it. A fab collecting of wines that a causing quite a buzz in the wine scene.

Riddle me this... What is the beginning of eternity, the end of time and space, the beginning of every end and the end of every race? It's "E" of course. The AB&D Enigma is a puzzle well worth solving, as a puzzle has many sides, only some visible at first, but the deeper you dig the more is revealed. Barbera is the grape variety here - thought to have originated in the hills of Piedmont, it's high in acid, low in tannin, tricky in the vineyard, tricky in the winery, but by the beard of Zeus does it ever shape-shift into a soifalicious drink in the glass when all the panels of the vinous Rubik's Cube align. Barbera you saucy, puzzling little minx.

 Vineyards

Grapes are picked from the Christmas Hill Vineyard in Kuitpo and Carmine Peppicelli Vineyard in Kenton Valley, Gumeracha in the Adelaide Hills of South Australia. The soil is light red clay loam.

Vinification

Whole bunch Fermentation inoculated with neutral yeast. 24 months in old barriques (225L) and puncheons (500L). The latter is favoured for gentler maturation.

Tasting Notes

With the colour of arterial blood, the nose reveals wild berries, rhubarb and custard. The palate is dense, concentrated and brooding opening to a rich mid-palate with cherry-stone fruit and bitter plum and a long finish with a gentle brick-like texture.

Great with gamey meats or delicious on its own.