PLANETA Syrah, Planeta 2006 Grape Varieties 100% Syrah Ageing Potential: Drinks on release but will mature for 5 - 7 years. Food Matching Note: Will pair very well with grilled red meats, particularly game with rich sauces, and matured cheeses. Sicilian cookery: Rigatoni with red tuna and mint, risotto, stuffed leg of lamb, mixed grilled kebab, marsala cutlets. Sicilian cheese: Pecorino siciliano. Tasting Note: Ruby red to deep purple tones. Intense and persistent on the nose with notes of black fruits like cherry and blackberry; chocolate, leather and spices integrated with creamy vanilla and nut coming from the wood. On the palate the wine is full bodied, velvety and warm. Ending with soft and sweet tannins and with a long sumptuous finish. Detailed Tasting Note: Colour: Ruby red with violet undertones. Nose: Displays intense characteristics of peppers, spices and berry fruits attributed to the hot Sicilian sun, more in keeping with the New World rather than French styles. Oak ageing has added complex aromas of figs and cocoa. Palate: Luscious and supple in texture, both the tannin and fruit are young and fresh and bring a lasting power to the palate. It's beauty lies in it's complexity though, rather than it's concentration. 'Funky' Tasting Note: Young, luscious blakberries are tempered with spicey cloves and cocoa in this super stylish modern Sicilian Syrah. Vinification Note: The grapes were harvested from Planeta's Dispensa and Gurra vineyards. They were fermented on the skins in stainless steel fermenters, then aged in American (1/4) and Allier (3/4) oak barrels. Detailed Vinification Note: Classification: Indicazione Geografica Tipica Sicilia First Year Of Production: 1999 Production Area: Menfi (AG) Name Of Vineyard: Dispensa Soil Type: Shallow soil; few stones. Mainly calcareous with light coloured clay. Yield per Hectare: 9 tonnes, 2 Kg per vine Altitude: 100 metres above the sea level Training System: Vertical trellis; spur pruned cordon Planting Density: 4.500 vines/hectare Harvest Period: 18th August Vinification: The grapes are destemmed and crushed, followed by the process of extraction on skins with 12 days of maceration. After racking the wine is matured in 225 litres French oak barrels for 12 months. Fermentation Equipment: 150 hl stainless steel fermenters Fermentation Temperature: 28°C Maturation Period: 12 months in 225 litres Allier oak barrels. Find this wine at www.winestore.co.uk Price: £23.75 (Including VAT at 20%)