689 Cellars Devil's Candy 2020

Drink now or cellar for up to 9 years. No need to decant before serving. The founders of 689 Cellars spent time travelling in Asia where they became fascinated by the special properties attributed to numbers in Chinese culture. For example, the number six is thought to represent flow and movement, helping us go through our lives with energy and success. The number eight has a distinctive symmetrical form, and thus references prosperity and unlimited potential, while the number nine is the most powerful number of all with links to permanence and longevity. One of the wines crafted by this auspicious wine cellar is Devil’s Candy, a rich and expressive Napa Valley red made from Zinfandel, Cabernet, Petite Sirah, Syrah and Charbono grapes. Fruit is sourced from selected sites in Calistoga, Oakville, St. Helena, Coombsville and Pope Valley, with each region giving different characteristics to the final blend. The young wine is aged in French oak barrels for 12 months before release to fully integrate all of the components and create a complex, polished wine. The powerful nose is bursting with dark cherries, cassis and ripe plums along with dried herbs, sunbaked earth and sweet spice. On the palate there’s a full body, firm tannins and a long finish seasoned with crushed dark berries, toasty oak, vanilla and hints of cedar and leather. An expressive and intense red blend that’s great to enjoy alongside chorizo, rich stews, pizza or tomato-based pasta dishes.

Price: £39.74 from 8wines UK