Col Sandago. Wildbacher

Wildbacher Colli Trevigiani IGT
Grape: Wildbacher
Drying tannin, loganberry to cassis, perhaps some damson, hedgerow, tobacco, earthy mushrooms and leather; really, a very elegant wine. A brilliant wine to accompany game. 13%

link to Col Sandago producer page

Wildbacher is the name of the vine, it is said to have come from Styria (on the Hungarian and Slovenian border) and there it makes a light red wine. This red is altogether more serious, successive owners at Le Case Bianche have been obsessed with the vine, and new vineyards have been planted which will bring production up to thirty thousand bottles. A few years ago this would have terrified me, but the style of the wine they make has changed considerably for the better.
The 1999 vintage marked a departure from the old casks to a mixture of tonneau and barrique which has freshened the wine up and it is now a serious contender.
Col Sandago's clone is a refined biotype registered as 'Col Sandago Wildbacher'. A late maturing variety that is rich in tannin, fruit and acidity.