MENAT ‘TATHAGATA’ 2020

Much like Stilton cheese, pork belly, or espresso, this layered red wine needs no excess for full enjoyment.

Menat’s “Tathagata” prompted Wine Bible research in full force. Gaglioppo, Pedilongo, and Perricone are three of the five grape varietals that are crushed and aged in tinajas and qvevris (clay vessels originating from Spain and Georgia, respectively), and kept in a marani, a Georgian-style cellar. The story of the new Italian winery and its production method is worth a visit to Menat’s website, but the real star, of course, is the wine.

Classic natural wine funkiness is present but secondary to a delicious and almost delicate aroma of candied cherries and molasses. Tannins hit the mouth like a firework - silent for a breath, then an explosion of aggressive astringency that envelops the tongue and roof of mouth, before fizzing out to make way for a fruity, almost effervescent finish.

Imported by: Minum Selections

Region: Calabria, Italy

Grapes: 50% Gaglioppo, 12% Pedilongo, 12% Nerello Calabrese, 12% Perricone, 12% Montepulciano⁣

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