Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Made from 100% Grenache, the medium garnet-purple colored 2015 Annexus has a seriously intense perfume of crushed cherries and black raspberries with roses and violets plus suggestions of anise, cinnamon stick and dark chocolate. The rich, powerful, concentrated palate sports beautifully velvety tannins with great freshness and a very long, peppery finish.
Rating: 94+
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Wine Enthusiast
From ex-Penfolds winemaker John Duval and made in part from vines over 150 years old, this Grenache offers a complexity and depth. This favors dark fruit on the nose and is chock full of intriguing aromas of cumin, clove, chocolate, sandalwood and mint. The palate offers more of the same multifariousness, with added minerality reminiscent of hot stones and graphite. Drink now–2027.
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Wine Spectator
Distinctive, with cumin and caraway seed aromas that add a level of aromatic complexity to the dense, mineral-laced wild blackberry flavors. Shows plenty of concentration on the finish. Drink now through 2030.
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James Suckling
A big and juicy grenache that has lots of full-throttle fruit yet still remains fresh and edgy. Old school and a little overdone but may have its followers. Screw cap.
Grenache thrives in any warm, Mediterranean climate where ample sunlight allows its clusters to achieve full phenolic ripeness. While Grenache's birthplace is Spain (there called Garnacha), today it is more recognized as the key player in the red blends of the Southern Rhône, namely Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Côtes du Rhône and its villages. Somm Secret—The Italian island of Sardinia produces bold, rustic, single varietal Grenache (there called Cannonau). California, Washington and Australia have achieved found success with Grenache, both flying solo and in blends.
The Barossa Zone encompasses the Barossa Valley and Eden Valley. Some of the oldest vines in Australia can be found here.
Barossa Valley of course is the most important and famous wine growing region in all of Australia where 140+ year-old, dry-farmed Shiraz vines still produce inky, purple and dense juice for some of Australia's best wines.
In the cooler, wetter Eden Valley sub-region, the Hill of Grace vineyard is home to famous Shiraz vines from the 1800s but the region produces also some of Australia’s very best and age-worthy Rieslings.