Westend Estate The Boxer Durif 2017

The Boxer is made purely from Durif, a grape that originated in southern France, but has come up trumps in Australia’s warm climate. There it loses its rustic edge and gains masses of luscious black fruit. Surprisingly, Durif still only makes up a mere 0.2% of Australia’s plantings. Bill Calabria is a big champion of Durif at his family estate in outback Riverina. His parents emigrated from Italy in the 1940s and founded the property, handing it to the next generation in the 1970s. Bill prides himself on the quality of the grapes he uses, and by keeping yields down (as much as a third less than the norm) he gains impressive concentration. This weighty, full throttle red shows best besides hearty food – roast meats or game pie are ideal.