TASTING NOTE

This is an aromatic wine with a bright lifted nose of violets, lavender, hints of sage with dark cherry fruit and exotic spices - cloves and cinnamon, with hints of citrus rind. The palate is tarry and brooding, red currant and cherry with lots of earthy spice, leather and background dried herbs. The tannins are very fine but have a presence and carry the flavours through to a long and lingering finish.

VINTAGE

Weather conditions during spring were wet and windy which had an impact on flowering and resulted in small crops. Cool and wet conditions continued into early summer, but thankfully the rain stopped around Christmas time to allow the fruit to start to ripen and to keep the disease at bay.  Harvest started much later than average due to the cooler conditions. Whilst we had to pick some of the reds around rain events they ripened well with fresh and vibrant fruit flavours.

The 23 vintage wines are showing elegance and finesse, with fresh fruit flavours, fine tannins and good acidity.

VINEYARD

A single vineyard Grenache sourced from Sue Trott’s vineyard in Blewitt Springs, McLaren Vale. The Vineyard's dry grown bush vines were planted in 1952 and are grown on deep Maslin Sand over clay and ironstone. Vineyard is situated at 210m above sea level on an East facing slope.

WINEMAKING

Fruit was hand harvested, 10% whole bunch, remainder destemmed into stainless steel open fermenters. The ferment spent 12 days on skins, during which time it was gently plunged to ensure optimum extraction whilst maintaining the delicate aromatics. Wine was basket pressed off skins before maturation and malolactic fermentation on lees in stainless steel to retain fruit purity and freshness.

Vegan friendly

FOOD PAIRING

Tea smoked duck

WINEMAKER

Renae Hirsch

REVIEWS

96 Points
The Australian, Nick Ryan

"Planted in 1952 close to Blind Spot but at slightly higher elevation, its ancient sands sitting over a limestone base. The fruit is plumper; dark raspberry and cherry, plus some blood sausage meatiness. It’s lean and athletic through the palate, crouched like a stalking lion, all rippling muscle and fast-twitch fibres."

96 Points
Halliday Wine Companion - Marcus Ellis

"Sourced from Sue Trott’s vineyard in Blewitt Springs off dry-grown bush vines planted in '52; soils are deep Maslin sand over clay and ironstone; 10% whole bunch, the remainder destemmed; 10 days on skins; matured in stainless steel. From a hallowed site, this is a deeply layered expression, though so transparent of making. Fruits flow through red and into black, with some sour plums jostling with the redcurrant jelly and ripe wild-raspberry notes, Baharat spices, bergamot, tamarind paste and warmed star anise. Even at this early stage, there is a deeply meditative quality to the expression, a wine speaking clearly of fruit, place and a beneficial (if difficult) season.."

96 Points
The Real Review - Huon Hooke

"Deep, bold red-purple clour; smoked meaty reductive nuances over dark fruits and graphite. As it aired in the glass, more blackberry aromas, the palate full-bodied and fruit-sweet in its core, plush and succulent, loaded with charm. Full bodied and impressively proportioned, balanced and aproachable now although will certainly age brilliantly."

95 Points
The Wine Front - Gary Walsh

"Tasting three Grenache from three different sites, and while they share similar traits, they’re quite different in character, which is very encouraging, and as it should be. This is from 1952 plantings. Ripe cherry, blackberry, black tea, dried herb and floral things, slight menthol. Medium to full-bodied, a more robust style with chewy tannin, lots of impact and presence, dark spices, raspberry and cranberry brightness, in with more emphatic ferrous things, and a firm finish of excellent length. Quite a wine."