Massena Stonegarden Grenache 2019

Description

Established in 2000, Massena was begun by Dan Standish and Jaysen Collins who until 2006 were employed full time at other Barossa wineries (Dan as winemaker at Torbreck and Jaysen as general manager at Turket Flat). All Massena wines are from 100% Eden Valley and Barossa valley fruit from dry-farmed, low yielding vines up to 155 years age located in the north-western Barossa. Working mostly with traditional Barossa varieties, they have also established experimental vineyards of other varieties like Roussanne, Viognier, Barbera, Primitivo, Dolcetto, Tinta Amarela, Graciano, Saperavi and Tannat.

Wines are made using traditional techniques such as open fermentation and basket pressing and are aged in tank or seasoned French oak; no American oak is used here for maturation. All varieties are hand harvested and fermented using indigenous yeasts and wines from each vineyard are raised and kept separate until final blending. These are wines of striking purity and natural intensity that reflect their origins and which offer outstanding value.

100% Grenache. Single vineyard wine from the distinguished Stonegarden vineyard in the Eden Valley, with old vine heritage and limited production. The wines produced from this special piece of history are something to behold, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache and Riesling while singing their respective varietal character, have a common vineyard thread of beautiful aromatics and subtle minerality.

Once part of an ancient sea bed, the thin loam soils sit above a substrate of red clay containing rose quartz and black mica schist fragments. In the heat of summer, cool breezes and low night temperatures promote long, slow ripening of fruit resulting in complex flavours with balanced acidity and fine, silky tannin.

Harvested in two parcels from the purest planting of Grenache on the historic vineyard. The first parcel is destemmed into a ceramic egg and aged on skins for several months to extract a fine grain tannin structure. The second parcel is fermented as whole bunches and foot stomped over a period of two weeks giving a broader more grainy tannin profile. A fine acid balance is the hallmark of this vineyard and combined with a fine boned structure will ensure this Grenache is constantly evolving as it ages. Cellar – a decade or more!

97 Points, Erin Larkin for Robert Parker, Wine Advocate “The 2019 Stonegarden Grenache is made with fruit from the Stonegarden Vineyard (bush vines planted circa 1858) in the Eden Valley. This is so good. It shows all of the mineralogy and graphite tannins that are so commonly found in the Eden Valley—part of what makes it such a special place. I was there recently, and driving up Mengler’s Hill not only affords you a most epic view back over the Barossa Valley floor, but I find it the best place to understand the rocks in the earth that rise up out of the ground there. This wine has such endurance of flavor in the mouth that I can still taste it after having written the note. Hungarian salami, pink peppercorns, pencil shavings, raspberry pip, salted licorice, black cherries, cocoa powder… you want more? Also fennel seeds, pepper and blackberries. The tannins shape all aspects of this wine and carry it over the long (and fresh) finish”.

94 points, Dave Brookes for James Halliday Wine Companion “From 1858-planted vines in the epic Stonegarden vineyard just out of Springton in the Eden Valley. Two parcels, one destemmed into ceramic egg on skins; the other whole bunches. Supple and flexing considerable muscle under all that ripe, spicy blood-plum fruit. Super-compact, fine, black-tea tannin heft, bright mineral cadence and a meaty, savoury flow, it’s a serious piece of work from a great vineyard site.”

Our Special Price $64.99 – LAST OF THIS VINTAGE!