Winemaker Notes
A perennial favorite, Grenache from old vines shows it ability to exhibit lifted florals, red juicy fruit characters such as wild cherry, raspberry and pomegranate. The palate has delicious texture and long acidity balancing a freshness from savory Mataro and bolder Shiraz components.
Pairs well with fattier meats such as ribeye. Also good with pork, mushrooms, charcuterie or moussaka.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Generous, aromatic and fleshy, offering a vibrant core of ripe cherry, cranberry and raspberry flavors that are fleshy and generous, with notes of matcha green tea, spice and dried lavender that linger on the finish. Grenache, Mataro and Shiraz. Drink now.
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James Suckling
The nose is all grenache-driven raspberry and blueberry with a gently herbal edge. The palate has a plush, smooth-honed and gently pithy red-fruit core that holds a fresh, refined finish. A blend of 72% grenache, 23% mataro and 5% shiraz.
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Wine Enthusiast
This is a classy, harmonious bottling made from Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. It's full of plump plum, black currant, mint, violet, tobacco and iodine flavors. The tannins are herbal, chalky and powerful, and the mouthfeel is silky. Drink now-2028.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
Historically and presently the most important wine-producing region of Australia, the Barossa Valley is set in the Barossa zone of South Australia, where more than half of the country’s wine is made. Because the climate is very hot and dry, vineyard managers work diligently to ensure grapes reach the perfect levels of phenolic ripeness.
The intense heat is ideal for plush, bold reds, particularly Shiraz on its own or Rhône Blends. Often Shiraz and Cabernet partner up for plump and powerful reds.
While much less prevalent, light-skinned varieties such as Riesling, Viognier or Semillon produce vibrant Barossa Valley whites.
Most of Australia’s largest wine producers are based here and Shiraz plantings date back as far as the 1850s or before. Many of them are dry farmed and bush trained, still offering less than one ton per acre of inky, intense, purple juice.