Grenache delivers what Pinot promises…
A celebration of the dogged stubbornness of three McLaren Vale families, who persisted with their plots of Grenache, when other implored them to turn their land to other pursuits. From very old bush vines each vineyard eighty years plus, we make a contemporary Grenache with fragrance, succulence and fine boned structure (a little like our favourite Pinots!!). Viva la Grenache!
Creation
Hand harvested from a trio of vineyards ranging from 80 to 96 years of age and situated in the higher climes of Blewitt Springs and Clarendon. Planted into deep Aeolian sand these sites express a spicy, more modestly built, and slender expression of McLaren Vale Grenache. We lightly de-stemmed 85% of the fruit to retain whole berries, including the balance as whole bunches. Ferments were started wild in traditional open fermenters, with hand plunging twice daily to wet the caps, but not so vigorous as to macerate the stalks. After 12 days on skins, we basket pressed each parcel to a mixture of old oak puncheons and a 1000 litre foudre. Maturation was undertaken on fine lees to build mid palate texture and for the reductive benefit to avoid Grenache’s predisposition to oxidation. 11 months only in old oak to allow the blend to come together and bottled young before any meaningful oak influence can be seen.
Composition
Entwined within a complex deep core of red and purple fruit aromas, violets, earth and herb tinged; the palate is pure with old-vine flesh, calming depth and purity, but kept necessarily fresh by grainy tannins and a bright line of natural acid.
Consumption
Ideal serving temperature is 16 °C, we suggest you try with your local version of the food of the many homes Grenache – the various cures of black pig from Spain, the toasted wild yeast bread and smashed tomato of the Priorat, and the smoked veal sausages of the Rhone Valley. Cool cellaring between to 5 years to 8 years will be rewarded.
