D’Arenberg The Athazagoraphobic Cat, Sagrantino - McLaren Vale

A TONGUE-twisting out-of-the-ordinary drop
named after an out-of-the-ordinary moggy.

HERE'S ONE TO GET YOUR TONGUE AROUND

David Ellis

JUST as the ordinary winery moggy it was named after was anything than ordinary, here's a wine that when you pull the cork proves that it too is anything than ordinary.

And you may need to tear this page out to remember the name, unless you're pretty good with handling tricky words, because it's called The Athazagoraphobic Cat, the word meaning a fear of being forgotten. It was so-named in deference to moggy Audrey Hepburn (known generally as Ordinary) that forever trotted along in the winery at the heels of D'Arenberg's Chief Winemaker, Chester Osborn when he took over the job in McLaren Vale back in 1984.

Made from 95% Italian-origin Sagrantino and a 5% hint of French-origin Cinsault, the 2011 is a predominantly tannic drop but with suggestions of quite abundant flowery astringency, fruit flavours and some complexity from the Sagrantino, and with nice aromatics from the Cinsault that almost have one musing of a good Burgundy.

This unique ultra-premium $200 price-tag wine is available from the D'Arenberg Cellar Door in McLarenVale, or online at  www.darenberg.com.au ;  you'll find it an ideal match with a Winter's braised lamb, pork roast or, as we did, purely on its own.