Matassa Rouge 2017

In dark, slightly translucent purple with a garnet red rim, the wine appears clear and shiny in the glass.

Tom Lubbe is one of those winemakers who, thanks to their experience, rely almost entirely on their sensory system during the harvest and the vinification in the cellar. For him, it's all about aromatics. And as far as this is concerned, he is once again making the puppets dance with his 2017 vintage.

Bright berry and wild red fruit, such as cranberry, rosehip and cranberry wait excitedly next to the mortar for a good portion of spice. This shoots to the nose in the form of freshly cracked red pepper, fenugreek & coriander seeds, as well as black cumin, some beetroot and cocoa shell shavings. Rounding out ethereally, orange peel gives the nose a sense of bravado.

Far from it. Like the winemaker, like the wine; and this one is far from well-behaved. Its wild red berry fruit spreads vividly across the palate. With its juicy demeanor and extremely delicate tannin, the 2017 Matassa Rouge from Tom Lubbe, for all its power, transparency and brash directness, is still a linear and precise wine. It derives its expression and, paradoxically, its weight from its lightness. Lightly chilled, poured at 15°C, these bottles are a guarantee for quick emptying.