2025 McLaren Vale Grenache Blanc
TASTING NOTE
Aromas of fragrant flowering fresh herbs, spiced pears and apples and some citrus notes.
The palate is textural and has flavours pineapple, green paw paw and pear fruit, along with fresh herbs, a hint of almond and exotic spice. A fresh acidity runs through the palate and the wine has lingering flavours.
VINEYARD
Sourced from 2 sub-regions within McLaren Vale. 71% of the blend is from a vineyard vineyard east of the township of McLaren Flat on a slightly elevated site, 135m above sea level, on loamy clay soil. The remaining 29% is from a site in the southern sub-region of Sellicks Hill. This later site has an elevation of just 78m, but is much closer to the cooling breezes of the ocean, and is on clay soil.
VINTAGE
A very dry growing season, lead to the earliest start to vintage anyone can remember.
Low winter rains, but ideal spring weather meant that despite the dry conditions, fruit set in spring was good and crop levels for many varieties were around average, with berry numbers average to slightly above, but a smaller berry size- leading to good concentration of flavour. Whilst harvest started early, conditions were relatively mild for much of harvest, except for a 4-day heat wave in mid-February, but this caused little damage and fruit ripened gradually to have great flavour, ripe tannin profiles in the reds and good concentration.
WINE MAKING
The McLaren Flat parcel was machine harvested in the cool of the morning and the Sellkicks Hill parcel was hard harvested also early in the morning. Both parcels were gently pressed with minimal skin contact, although were kept separate through the process until a few weeks prior to bottling.
They were fermented mainly in stainless steel and the Mclaren Flat parcel was fermented with a relatively high level of juice soilds to build some complexity and texture. A portion of both parcels were also fermented in older French oak Puncheons (30% overall), and were then stored on lees with some lees stirring in both tank and barrel to further build some texture.
Wine is vegan friendly.
FOOD PAIRING
Cheese platter, paella or a chicken tagine
WINEMAKER
Renae Hirsch
REVIEWS
2024 VINTAGE
Halliday Wine Companion - Marcus Ellis
92 Points
"From one of Sue Trott’s vineyards in McLaren Flat on heavy clays, this was pressed to tank (75%) and old barrel (25%) for fermentation. Waxy apples and tart pear, orchard florals, a fringe of herbs and a little lemon curd, this is racy, with relatively fine-boned fruit on a driving line of freshness. It’s early on, and a little tense, but a few months, ideally six, and it should be singing."
The Wine Front - Gary Walsh
92 Points
"The first vintage of this wine, from the Trott vineyard in McLaren Flat.A quiet wine that offers pleasing flinty texture and grip, lemon water, a slight gooseberry flavour, a smattering of dried herbs with some lemon peel bitterness, and a bright finish of good length. It’s frisky and energetic and while it may be a little dilute in the flavour department, its mouthfeel and shape kind of compensates for that. Good drinking here."