Winemaker Notes
Red currant and sour cherry aromas abound melded with
forest floor, Christmas spice, ironstone & nettle. Lovely supple layers of sweet fruits and savory elements, chocolate dust and cranberry, all framed with crunchy tannins. Plenty of red fruit and sweet spice. Fresh and
vibrant.
Professional Ratings
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Wine & Spirits
Corrina Wright is the sixth-generation of her family to tend vines at the property William Oliver first planted in Seaview in the 1840s. The vines that produced this grenache date to 1965, planted in shallow red-brown loam over limestone. At first, this has the richness of garnacha from Rioja, the tannins dense with a beeswax character, calling for roast eggplant stuffed with lamb. Later, with a few hours of air, the fruit comes out—transparent earthy red berries—and the tannins have turned brisk, showing the underlying limestone edifice of the wine’s structure. A graceful grenache.
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James Suckling
This has a very fresh, lively feel with a spice, dried-rose and earthy edge. The palate’s mid-weight, red-fruit flavors are crunchy and super fresh. Drink now. Screw cap.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Despite being voluminous in the mouth, the 2019 Grenache comes across as only medium-bodied, lighter than expected, with a silky, airy structure supporting strawberries, cherries and pomegranate flavors. No, it's not super complex, but it's fun to drink—what Aussies might call smashable. Enjoy it over the next few years.
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.
Known for opulent red wines with intense power and concentration, McLaren Vale is home to perhaps the most “classic” style of Australian Shiraz. Vinified on its own or in Rhône Blends, these hot-climate wines are deeply colored and high in extract with signature hints of dark chocolate and licorice. Cabernet Sauvignon is also produced in a similar style.
Whites, often made from Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc tend to be opulent and full of tropical, stone and citrus fruit.