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 Piemonte, 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.
Production
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 over granite. Hand picked, 60% whole bunch fermentation, 40% crushed on top of the whole bunches; wild fermentation until dry. The Wine then spends 18 months predominantly in puncheons (5% new) and foudre.
Alpha Box & Dice ‘Enigma” Barbera, McLaren Vale 2022 (6 bottles case)
Vivino ratings
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.
Food match
Gamey meats or delicious on its own.
Info
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ABV
14.5%
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CASE/BOTTLE SIZE
6 x 75cl
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REGION/COUNTRY
ADELAIDE HILLS, SOUTH AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA
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GRAPE
BARBERA 100%
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FEATURES
VEGETARIAN, VEGAN
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CLOSURE
CORK
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WINEMAKER
SAM BERKETA
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ALLERGEN INFO
CONTAINS SULPHITES AND NO OTHER ALLERGENS
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Meet the producer
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 collection of wines that a causing quite a buzz in the wine scene.