Mauricio Lorca Gran Petit Verdot, Finca Los Altepes, Valle de Uco, Mendoza-C332

Deep ruby hue. It's exceptionally difficult to write 'ripe' and 'Petit Verdot' in the same sentence. A notoriously tannic and unapproachable late ripener, it's a grape to be handled with the utmost care. Having said that, this may be the most complete Petit Verdot to have passed my lips. The nose is massive and yet delicately partitioned, with the violets, mint and bay sitting next to red plum, raspberry jam, tinned strawberries and wood-derived flavours of black pepper, cedar, vanilla and clove. The length is, frankly, phenomenal, a core of dusty tannins adding a perfectly judged vegetal hint. Epic: buy it. 2026-2032 – MP