Domingo Molina Petit Verdot 2018 Yacochuya, Calchaquí Valley, Salta, Argentina 75cl

Petit Verdot is usually a blending grape, added in small amounts to Bordeaux-style reds for colour and backbone, so a wine made entirely from it is a rarity. Domingo Molina bottles this one from its high-altitude vineyards in Salta’s Calchaqui Valley, near Yacochuya, where the grape gets conditions it rarely finds elsewhere.

At these extreme elevations the late-ripening Petit Verdot gets the long, sunny season it needs to come to full maturity, something it struggles to do in cooler places. The result is a deeply coloured, structured red that keeps a fresh, savoury edge thanks to the cold mountain nights.

The 2018 vintage produced ripe, concentrated reds in the region, well suited to a firm variety like this one.

Expect an intense ruby colour and a herbaceous, savoury nose with subtle notes of tobacco and chocolate. It is concentrated and structured on the palate, yet the tannins are velvety rather than harsh, leading to a long finish. A decant helps it show its best.

This is a red for hearty food: roast lamb, game or a rich beef dish. If you are curious about single-varietal Petit Verdot, or simply enjoy bold, structured reds with a savoury streak, this high-altitude Salta bottling is well worth exploring, and an unusual find in its own right. Serve it at a cool room temperature and decant it ahead of the meal, as the structure softens and the tobacco and chocolate notes come forward with air. It is a red with the depth to hold up to strongly flavoured, slow-cooked dishes.