Red, 2023

Donovan is uncharacteristically bullish about his 2023 Red, simply stating that it is the best he has ever made. Perhaps it is the unusually high proportion of Ava Syrah in the blend in 2023, who knows, but Syrah comprises between 70-80% of the total, and it is certainly the most peppery and spicy Rall Red that we have tasted to date. It is less a Mediterranean blend per se and presents more of a fine Syrah with added lift and precision and strawberry-like florality from the Grenache, Carignan and Cinsault – which together comprise 20-30% of the blend. Aged in a variety of neutral vessels including barrique, foudré and concrete, bottled after a year and held back an extra year in bottle.