{"product_id":"joseph-2020-moda-cabernet-sauvignon-merlot-mclaren-vale-750ml","title":"JOSEPH 2020 Moda Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot McLaren Vale 750ml","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe story begins in a London wine bar in 1984. Joe Grilli was there as a young winemaker on his first overseas trip, out to taste the great wines of the world. Hoping to impress him, the bar's sommelier poured something Grilli had never heard of: Amarone. The sommelier explained the method — grapes air-dried before crushing, concentrating their sugars, tannins, and flavors into something far more powerful than conventional vinification could ever produce. The power and opulence of that glass blew Grilli away. He decided, then and there, that this was a style he had to master.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eToday, Moda is the result of that decision carried out, year after year, in McLaren Vale. Joe Grilli dries his best estate Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes in the Amarone style — appassimento — before crushing the dried fruit into Primo Estate's traditional open-topped concrete fermenters. The wine spends eighteen months in French and American oak, and then — in a commitment to patience that almost no other Australian producer makes — nine additional years of bottle aging before release. By the time a bottle of Moda reaches a shelf, it has already lived a decade.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe 2020 vintage earned 91 Points from The Wine Front — \"a rich, hedonistic wine\" in the style's broader critical reception, \"made to a similar creed of dried grapes, attenuating the ferment into a lustful incantation of rum and raisin, mahogany and mocha accents,\" with tannins \"suitably equipped to handle the barrage of fruit-driven intensity\" and a finish described as \"forceful and impressive.\" Joe Grilli's own tasting note: an intense bouquet of raisin, dark chocolate, and cedar, tasting of rich, lush blueberry wrapped in fine dark cocoa. This is one of Australia's most genuinely unique fine wines — Italian technique, McLaren Vale fruit, and a winemaker's forty-year obsession with a single glass he tasted in London.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"text-text-100 mt-3 -mb-1 text-[1.125rem] font-bold\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOrigins \u0026amp; Craftsmanship\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eJOSEPH Moda is produced at Primo Estate in McLaren Vale by owner and winemaker Joe Grilli, whose Italian heritage and 1984 encounter with Amarone in a London wine bar directly inspired the wine's entire production philosophy. Moda is made using the appassimento method — air-drying hand-selected Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes on racks before crushing, a technique borrowed directly from the Valpolicella region of Italy, where Amarone della Valpolicella has been made this way for centuries. The drying process concentrates sugars, tannins, and flavor compounds far beyond what whole, freshly harvested fruit can achieve, producing a wine of considerably greater density and intensity than conventional Cabernet-Merlot blends.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe dried fruit is crushed into Primo Estate's traditional open-topped concrete fermenters — the same gentle, hands-on vinification approach used across the estate's flagship reds. The wine then ages eighteen months in a combination of French and American oak barrels before an unusually patient nine years of bottle aging prior to release — a commitment that places Moda among the most deliberately slow-released fine wines in Australia. Some older vintages historically included a small portion of Coonawarra fruit, though the current production is sourced from McLaren Vale.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"text-text-100 mt-3 -mb-1 text-[1.125rem] font-bold\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCritics Reviews\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Wine Front — 91 Points (2020 vintage, confirmed via VS Liquor):\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCellar-worthy selection recommended to pair with slow-cooked lamb or game.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWine-Searcher aggregate — 91\/100 (2020 vintage)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrimo Estate \/ Joe Grilli official tasting notes:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"The resulting wine gives an intense bouquet of raisin, dark chocolate and cedar. It tastes of rich, lush blueberry wrapped in fine dark cocoa.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJames Suckling (2021 vintage, for context on house style):\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"This is a rich, hedonistic wine that some may find fusty, but for those who enjoy Amarone there is plenty to like. After all, this is made to a similar creed of dried grapes, attenuating the ferment into a lustful incantation of rum and raisin, mahogany and mocha accents. The tannins are suitably equipped to handle the barrage of fruit-driven intensity. The length, forceful and impressive.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWine-Searcher aggregate, other vintages for context:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2023: 95 · 2019: 94 · 2017: 92 · 2021: 93 · 2016: 90\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCommunity tasting notes (confirmed):\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Made from partially dried grapes — 'moda amarone' — this is a lush, creamy Cabernet with bold chocolate and cassis flavors. Soft and elegant on the finish.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\"Meaty, with a sexy bass line of plum. Tannins are smooth; accents are of vanilla bean, and some easy toasty, woody notes.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"text-text-100 mt-3 -mb-1 text-[1.125rem] font-bold\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTasting Profile\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNose\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIntense bouquet of raisin, dark chocolate, and cedar — the appassimento drying process concentrating the fruit into a far more powerful aromatic register than conventional Cabernet-Merlot achieves. Mahogany and mocha accents add depth, alongside hints of rum-soaked dried fruit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePalate\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRich, lush blueberry wrapped in fine dark cocoa — Joe Grilli's own description of the wine's defining character. The palate is intense and concentrated, with smooth, well-equipped tannins built to handle the fruit-driven intensity that the dried-grape method produces. Blackcurrant and cassis carry alongside vanilla bean and toasty oak.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFinish\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eForceful and impressive, long and powerful, with the rounded alcohol and heavy style that defines the Amarone-inspired category. A lingering close of dark chocolate, raisin, and cedar spice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"text-text-100 mt-3 -mb-1 text-[1.125rem] font-bold\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eQuick Overview\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"overflow-x-auto w-full px-2 mb-6\"\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"min-w-full border-collapse text-sm leading-[1.7] whitespace-normal\"\u003e\n\u003cthead class=\"text-left\"\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth scope=\"col\" class=\"text-text-100 border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.6)] py-2 pr-4 align-top font-bold\"\u003eCategory\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth scope=\"col\" class=\"text-text-100 border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.6)] py-2 pr-4 align-top font-bold\"\u003eDetails\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAppellation\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003eMcLaren Vale — South Australia\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVariety\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003eCabernet Sauvignon - Merlot blend\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVintage\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e2020\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProducer\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003ePrimo Estate (JOSEPH range)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWinemaker\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003eJoe Grilli\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInspiration\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003eA 1984 London wine bar encounter with Amarone\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMethod\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003eAppassimento — Amarone-style air-drying of grapes before crush\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFermentation\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003eTraditional open-topped concrete fermenters\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOak\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e18 months — French and American\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBottle Aging\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e9 years before release\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eABV\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e14.5%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCritics\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003eThe Wine Front 91 Points (2020)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStyle \/ Identity\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003eRich, hedonistic, Amarone-inspired Australian Cabernet-Merlot — dense, concentrated, age-worthy\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAromas \u0026amp; Flavors\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003eRaisin, dark chocolate, cedar, lush blueberry, fine cocoa, mocha, rum, cassis\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBottle Size\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e750ml\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"text-text-100 mt-3 -mb-1 text-[1.125rem] font-bold\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFood Pairings\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003eSlow-cooked lamb\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003eGame meats — venison\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003eRich braises and stews\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003eHard, pungent cheeses\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Southern","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43874431270978,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0363\/8621\/files\/JOSEPH_2020_Moda_Cabernet_Sauvignon_Merlot_McLaren_Vale_750ml.jpg?v=1782007704","url":"https:\/\/www.blackwellswines.com\/products\/joseph-2020-moda-cabernet-sauvignon-merlot-mclaren-vale-750ml","provider":"Blackwell's Wines \u0026 Spirits","version":"1.0","type":"link"}