Passopisciaro, Contrada R 2018 750ml

The 2018 Contrada Rampante (R) reminds me more of food than wine, putting on a savory and smoky display of air-dried beef, crushed stone and black currants. It’s initially soft in texture and focused on purity, showing mineral-tinged red fruits and rosy inner florals, but it gains considerable grip toward the close. Tension builds as a layer of hulking tannin makes itself known through the finale, partly balanced by residual acids, yet still creating an achingly youthful impression. Give this at least a few years of cellaring to flesh out and open up. Tasted twice with consistent results.