2017 Grenache
"Grenache in Margaret River is a total wild card but prepare for the surprise"
Grenache is one of the world’s most widely planted grapes varieties, thought to originate from Sardinia and spreading to northern Spain and southern France where its fame became well established. To find it in cooler climates is difficult but so rewarding; to explore the deep aromatics and forest floor complexity of Margaret River Grenache is a real treat!
Nose
The aromatics are deep and rich with ripe
cherries, plum skin, and cranberry overlaying
hints of raspberry and wild strawberry. A
core of orange marmalade is complemented
by a Christmas spice element of cinnamon,
cardamom and preserved ginger with
enticing notes of smoky cedar and black tea
Palate
The palate is rich and juicy displaying satsuma
plum and red forest berry fruits of raspberry
and strawberry overlaying spiced notes of
cinnamon and powdered cocoa nib. Vibrant
yet lush and rich, the candied cherry gives
way to a touch of toasted coconut with a
silky yet substantially wide mid palate that
delivers velvety ripples of tannin through to
a long finish
Blend
Grenache 100%
Cellaring
Ready for enjoyment in its youth, this wine can also be cellared for more than 15 years
Food Pairing Notes
The savoury complexity of this wine matches
with a vegetable laden linguine of smoked
eggplant, chilli feta, grilled zucchini and
red capsicum. The richness of this wine will
complement a spicy Spanish paella of fresh
seafood and chorizo, or simply pair with a dark
chocolate flourless tart to bring out the smoke
and dark depths of this rarity.
The Vineyard
The vineyard for this bottling is located in
southern Margaret River, near the head
waters of the Chapman Brook, close to the
hamlet of Witchcliffe. It has very gravelly
rocky soils, with sandy clay loams; has a north
facing aspect with extensive sunshine hours
and is trained in a vertical shoot positioned
(VSP) format. It is currently being converted
across to biodynamic farming with a focus
on the vineyard as an entire ecosystem and
yields very low amounts of concentrated and
varietal grapes
The Season
The preceding winter gave healthy rains,
replenishing soil moisture levels which led
into a milder spring with the lowest average
degree days ever recorded (least heat seen for
a growing season). Flowering in all varieties
was delayed by 10 days compared to 2016,
with wonderful sunshine giving excellent set
(fruitful flowers into berries) and thus great
crop potential across all varieties. With a mild
summer, punctuated by only a few hot days,
veraison (colouring and softening of berries)
came three weeks later than 2016 giving one
of the latest yet highest quality vintages on
record, delivering refined and complete tannin
structures with complex fruit characters
Winemaking
The fruit, after being hand picked and hand
sorted was destemmed completely and lightly
crushed to a small closed-top fermenter. The
ferment proceeded with wild yeasts, with
gentle immersion of the skins by pumping
the juice over the top. Total fermentation
maceration was 47 days before a light basket
pressing. Malolactic fermentation took place
in French (65%) and American (35%) oak
barriques (20% new) and the wine was aged
on lees (fermentation solids) for 18 months
before being blended and bottled, unfined
Analysis
15% alcohol, 5.1 g/l total acidity, 3.66 pH
