Antichi Podere Jerzu, Bantu, Cannonau di Sardegna, Sardinia, Italy 2017

A perfumed, classically Mediterranean Cannonau (aka Grenache) shows a fine purity of sweet and juicy red fruit with an earthy undertone, good balancing grip and damsony freshness for an ideal summer’s day barbecue red.

Cannonau is the local synonym for Grenache, which must make up a minimum of 85% of the blend in its Cannonau di Sardegna guise. This has an inexpressive nose with perhaps a touch of mint and tobacco alongside light cherry fruits. It's much more alive in the mouth, however, with chocolate-edged tangy red fruits accompanied by mouthwatering acidity and herbal freshness. Elegant rather than intense, this has a long, fine finish of ripe cherry, strawberry and raspberry, with a savoury twist of earth, tobacco and wood.