Bastardo ! You can't help but love the name and sound of this variety. It could be a marketer's dream in the competitive Australian wine environment but the issue is that little of this red grape is grown here and what does usually is blended away. Regions such as Margaret River, South Australia's Barossa Valley and Riverland are its main growing areas. In another less 'flamboyant' guise the variety is known as Trousseau. An ancient variety native to the Jura region in eastern France, it has more recently made its mark in Portugal particularly Madeira, the Dao and the Douro Valley as a grape permitted in the production of Port wine. It has a somewhat checked reputation with irregular yields and suspect grape quality and I was amused reading Oz Clarke's paraphrase of an old Portuguese adage, which said that to plant Bastardo is an excellent way to make a grower poor. Perhaps the utterances of frustrated growers all over Portugal after unsatisfactory vintages of the variety saw their curses catch on as the variety's name !
In the glass this wine has deep cherry red colours. Initially stinky then after considerable swirling the nose's boldly redolent aromas send out dark red fruit, geranium, cough medicine, black pepper and wet earthy notes. This was Lou Reed's Walk on the Wild Side with the coloured girls going do da do da do da do do do ... Apologies to those with a p c inclination but the bouquet was not what you could call perfumed. Different, challenging, compelling, yes.
What can you expect from a natural wine that has had no filtration, added preservatives, matured on skins for six months and has been fermented in clay amphora vessels ? Brad Wehr, the winemaker behind amongst others, the Amato Vino label has a reputation for doing quirky and expressive wines of quality. With only 300 bottles produced of the Bastardo in 640 ml craft beer bottles, this is surely one Australian rarity.
The quite different palate delivers sour dark cherry, pipe tobacco, gamey flavours and licorice, which gives it a light sweetness. Generous, sweet and savoury mid-palate qualities. Tight structure wrapped around medium tannins and a sour acidity almost a slight bitter, mineral twang to it as well. A little high on the heat however. Light-to-mid weight wine with a decent length. Enjoyable, yes.
From an unfamiliar, left field variety produced in an avant-garde way, this fascinating wine should reward the adventurous oenophile.
Postscript. The 2015 Amato Vino vintage of the variety resorts to the name Trousseau.
Source: Retail Purchase. ABV: 14.2%. Closure: Crown Seal. Price: $30.00. Rating: 89 Points.
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