All wines purchased upon release, many purchased importer-direct, and all stored in a purpose built redundant temperature and humidity controlled cellar.

The 2020 Vinding Montecarrubo "Rudolf for Family & Friends" is a distinctive, deeply characterful red blend that showcases a unique crossroads of legendary winemaking pedigree and a rugged Sicilian terroir.

Montecarrubo was founded in southeastern Sicily (near Noto) by the late, legendary Danish winemaker Peter Vinding-Diers and his wife Susanne. Famous for his decades of pioneering work in Bordeaux and Hungary, Vinding-Diers established this organic estate on the slopes of an ancient, extinct volcano overlooking the Ionian Sea. As the name implies, the "Rudolf" cuvée was originally crafted as a small-scale lot solely for their inner circle before word leaked out and triggered a dedicated global following.

• Composition: Unlike the estate’s flagship 100% Syrah bottlings, "Rudolf" is a fascinating, structured blend of 50% Syrah, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 20% Merlot.
• Limestone and Volcanic Slopes: The fruit is grown on the Renna Estate near the Baroque town of Noto. While the region is strongly influenced by the estate's underlying volcanic and marine footprint, these specific vines are anchored into a base of pure, chalky white limestone, which provides the wine with an underlying core of brightness, minerality, and tension.

• Nose: Expressive and complex. It offers an engaging perfume of fresh red raspberry, plum, and black currant, layered with deeper, slightly savory hints of leather and medicinal herbs.
• Palate: Vibrant, juicy, and beautifully balanced. Bright fruit notes of sour cherry, raspberry, and crunchy rhubarb take center stage. This pulpy fruit profile is closely followed by classic Syrah and Cabernet Franc markers—such as cracked black pepper, olive tapenade, and an assortment of earthy, savory spices.
• Structure: While it delivers excellent mid-palate fruit concentration and a medium to full-bodied presence, it remains incredibly light on its feet. It avoids any baked or heavy over-ripe tones, resolving on a clean, lingering finish framed by moderate, supple tannins.

91 CellarTracker

Raspberry and plum on the nose. On the palate, currants, raspberries, and rhubarb, with notes of black pepper, tapenade, and other savory and earthy spices, with moderate tannins on the medium finish. This was an average to good value at about $50. 11/23/2022