2006 Kepos, Ampeleia, Maremma, Tuscany, Italy (£15.99, Corks Out tel. 01925 267 700 & www.corksout.com).
I met Elisabetta Foradori years ago on my very first wine tasting trip to Italy. I visited the far north – Trentino and Alto Adige – and her Teroldego Rotaliano was not only one of the most brilliant wines of the whole tour, but it was also one of the most unique expressions of the terroir there that I have ever tasted. She was a passionate being and was seen as one of a small band of highly motivated, young, pioneering winemakers at that time. Nothing has changed, more than a decade on.
When I tasted Kepos, the other day, and wrote ‘inspirational’ in my notes and I was not surprised to hear that she and two partners were behind this wine. The strange thing about Kepos though, is that it is made in southern Tuscany, not the far north of the country where she resides! Made from a unique blend of very young vine Grenache, Mourvèdre, Marselan, Carignano and Alicante, this is one of the most shocking and impressive Italian reds I have tasted in ages. The Gambero Rosso (a highly respected Italian wine guide) gave Kepos tre bicchiere – its top award. For an eminently affordable wine this is praise indeed. You can be ahead of the pack, too, because no one else has ever had a go at this wine and it is set to become a cult classic. It will also never be this price again!
