Spinifex Old Vine Moculta Grenache 2012

Description

‘Pete and his partner Magali Gely operate what I think is the best new-wave of small-scale Barossa wine companies to emerge at the beginning of the 21st century… These weren’t big, blockbuster, showy wines designed to impress. They were wines that managed to take the best of the Barossa’s sometimes forgotten varietal traditions and fuse them onto a very European flavour sensibility.’ Max Allen, The future makers.
‘It seems that Spinifex wines can do no wrong.’ Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front.

In 2012 Pete noted a particularly strong personality in his Grenache component – one that didn’t necessarily work in the Esprit – so decided to syphon off a couple of barrels-worth to bottle as a Grenache. Pete worked with 60% whole bunch and the wine was matured exclusively in thick staved, 600-litre demi muids. This is just all class. None of the tutty-fruity characters associated with new world Grenache, but rather a beautifully balanced, compact wine with aromas and flavours of crushed, squishy blackberries, strawberry, grenadine, with hints of anise, smoke and dried herbs. Beautiful texture across the palate and then some rocky, mineral tannins kick in to clean up the finish. Great finesse yet deep. Clearly a wine that will age very well and will impress lovers of more elegant styles of Châteauneuf-Du-Pape (Marcoux/Clos des Papes). Superb. In fact, if this had ‘Châteauneuf-Du-Pape’ on the label, we would be chasing this producer with all of our energy!

94 points Mike Bennie The Wine Front “The point of wine isn’t the single vineyard, but the character of the wine. 2012 was a good year for grenache, and I found a parcel that was profound. You can find such parcels each year, but you have to be protective of your core wines. This was something nature gave us outside of it”, offers winemaker Pete Schell of this wine. The wine sees an inclusion of 60% whole bunch and goes into older, large format wood.  Vibrant pop of fruit from the glass – dried herb and just ripe berry scents, some sweeter musk and a whiff of pot pourri dried flowers. Pretty darn attractive. Cool flow of fruit across the palate, quietly sweet, red fruit personality, fine sandy tannins, very trim, taut presence in the mouth. Good length of flavour here, very sleek but with some pliancy that gives the wine freshness and bounce. A puff of spice lingers in the finish. Sophisticated, controlled, elegant wine.”
RRP $60