Delinquente 'Roko il Vagabondo' Montepulciano 2023 (750 ml)

Our "Monte" is an uncomplicated red wine that provides flavour and energy. The thick skins provides a lovely, dark purple colour, and while the nose gives a feeling of power and intensity, with a very meaty, charcuterie, olive tapenade feel, the palate opens with a lovely, puckering fruit character, like a basket of freshly picked, maybe slightly underripe, but delicious mixed berries. The finish brings that tannin (although the cooler year means the tannin is less prominent) and those grippy, savoury elements back into play, while the acid keeps the freshness and length going. Pasta, pizza, BBQ, Salt and Vinegar Pringles – whatever, it’s a wine for all seasons. 

The Montepulciano was harvested from two different patches on the Bassham Family Organic vineyard, on separate days about a week apart. Each pick was fermented separately and blended together just prior to bottling. The earlier pick carried a lovely tart acidity and green energy, usually associated with whole bunch fermented wines, while the later pick gives palate weight and the deeper fruit character for drinkability – the final blend bringing both parcels together in a really awesome way.

_________________________________________________________________________

Delinquente makes small batch, minimal intervention wines from Southern Italian grape varieties grown in the Riverland, South Australia.

We were born and raised in the Riverland, surrounded by vineyards and the mighty Murray River. Delinquente is our attempt at making the best wine we can from the place we grew up. Organically grown, minimal intervention, honest, hand-made wines that not only are great fun to drink, but represent the sun, the red dirt and uniquely Australian terroir of the Riverland.

The Riverland can be very hot and very dry, particularly through the vines growing season. For that reason, we’ve chosen to work with Southern Italian grape varieties – varieties that are suited to the climate, need less water and are naturally drought resistant, are late ripening and retain natural acidity. In this way, they are more environmentally sustainable, and allow us to make wines with lower alcohol levels but heaps of freshness and flavour.

Delinquente is “delinquent” in Italian, which speaks to our desire to always buck the trend, break rules and do things our way. To that end, all of the incredible artwork for Delinquente, from the labels, to cartons, tees and even gifs, are created by our good friend Jason Koen, AKA “Ankles”. Delinquente is his passion project, evident in the intensity of his hand drawn labels which pop from across the room, and the deeply important and personal themes that they speak of.

Sometimes you’ve got to heed the call of the wild child within.

Sometimes you’ve got to go home with a bunch of grapes who’re ugly as sin.

Tech Sheet