Description
This cutting edge McLaren Vale producer is making delicious energetic estate grown wines from it’s biodynamic vineyards. We were bowled over by every wine in their line up (a rare occurrence). Gnarly old bush vines planted in 1946 in Kangarilla, Mclaren Vale, handpicked, rigorous selection, sorting table, wild ferment with portion of whole bunch followed by 12 mths maturation in old French oak. This old vine grenache is seriously darn delicious! Purity of plums, dark cherries with intensity and depth of fruit more-ish complexity and minerality. Layers of earthiness, aniseed, spice, tar, roast meat are revealed on the palate after decanting…
“Venerable vines, fastidious viticulture and cutting-edge winemaking kit. It’s a killer combination, and the reason why Yangarra is producing some of the best wines in the Vale right now.” – Max Allen, The Weekend Australian.
About this wine from the winemaker. “Our Grenache bush vines are old. These gnarly strugglers were planted in 1946 in a deep sandy dune we call The Beach, overlying the North Maslin Sands geological formation. The Old Vine Grenache is a complex, perfumed and elegant wine with a trademark tannin structure.
“The growing season began with significantly higher than average rainfall. The cool, wet conditions continued through Spring, setting us up for balanced canopies and lower yields. La Niña weather patterns forecasted cooler temperatures and continued rainfall for harvest. We were able to enhance vineyard practices such as shoot thinning and leaf removal to promote airflow, reduce mildew and increase sun exposure to bunches. From our experience, a cold vintage in a warm region can produce some of the best wines. Due to the cultural practices implemented, we were able to pick the majority of the vineyard in a three-week window prior to Easter, completed in early April. Wines produced from this vintage will be some of the prettiest and most delicate from the Estate.
“Sourced exclusively from 13.3 hectares of un-irrigated bush vines planted in 1946. Hand-picked between 17-24th March, selectively sorted in the winery. Gently destemmed with 50% crushed, 50% whole berries retained. Wild yeast fermentation in stainless steel. A very gentle pump over regime, often just wetting the cap. Some extended macerating where taming or polishing of tannin required and in some cases up to 7 months. No pressings used. Maturation in a mixture of old French and Austrian oak foudre and puncheons, ceramic egg and amphora. Certified Organic/Biodynamic. Bottled February 2024.
96 points, Marcus Ellis for James Halliday “From the estate’s 1946-planted bush vines. Half whole berries, half crushed, with gentle pump overs and extended maceration on some parcels up to seven months; matured in older French puncheons, foudre, ceramic eggs and amphorae. This is quite a different wine to the 2022. That’s a tale of two seasons. Both cool, but the buttress of natural tannin in the 2022 is commanding and it is more compressed, needing time. This is prettily lifted, with cherry, cranberry, rosehip, dried orange peel, wild raspberry and red florals. It’s a gloriously fine and elegant expression of this cuvée, but it has tannic drive, line and length, savouriness, flavour depth and detail. Excellent.”
95 points, Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front “It feels nervy at first but it quickly settles and even before it has, a net of tannin has expanded and taken control. This grenache, even as it prances and skits, knows that it’s going to be good. It shows raspberry, cranberry and pomegranate characters, pippy and fruity, light and not light, a fish that can fly across the surface even as it dives for the deep. There’s a cleanliness to this wine but not a sterility; it presents its character in fresh, clean, intertwined lines. At $50 this wine remains a gift; intricacy of fruit, tannin and texture of this nature is rarely within such reach.”
95 points, James Suckling “Perfumed and complex aromas of wild raspberries, potpourri, orange rind and dried herbs. The palate is medium- to full-bodied with vibrant acidity and fine tannins, giving notes of boysenberries, red licorice, blackberry bush and violets. A very complete wine made from old bush vines planted in 1946. Exceptional.”
RRP $55 **Our Special Price $44.99 when you buy 6 or more of this wine**
