Wangolina A Series Lagrein (750mL)

What The Experts Say

This varietal lagrein from the Limestone Coast is a bit of a find. Kudos to Wangolina.

If you see this you should buy it. It’s perfectly presented, polished and styled. It has cherry-berried fruit in abundance but it comes inflected with saltbush, ferrous qualities and fragrant dried herbs. That is, it’s fruity and savoury at once, and includes a good kick of firm tannin – all the while maintaining its balance. Peppercorn/gum leaf notes are here too but not in an intrusive way. It’s an excellent wine.

92/100 - Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front

Our Notes

Vroom vroom! There’s an intriguing hint of asphalt in this small-batch take on a lesser-known North Italian grape, but this is more endurance rally than Formula One; it’s around for a while as it goes through soil, darkness and winter forest notes, and there’s an impressive grip to the firm ripe tannin. Viscous, almost resinous.

A respectfully hands-off approach was taken here, with short fermentation on skins and just a little time in a mix of new and old French oak to sand off the rough edges.

Winemaker's Comments 

This wine is plush. Its super silky palate is brimming with rich blood plums, boysenberries and mocha; with wonderful savoury notes of fennel seed and black olives.

About the Winery

Wangolina head Anita Goode serves dual duty as head winemaker and farmer for a 700-acre cattle operation, but is evidently a pretty talented multitasker; she oversees a catalogue full of surprising drops characterised by a joyous disregard for tradition and a well-developed sense of oenological whimsy.