Marcus Ellis
From the Hickinbotham vineyard in Clarendon, and the oldest vines, contour planted in 1971. This saw a 20% whole-bunch ferment for two weeks before pressing to a cocciopesto Drunk Turtle amphora. Tannin - so important in grenache. Natural tannin that is - from skins, seeds and stems, not oak or other intrusions. It's the foundation here; silty, sandy, savoury and quietly coercive. Rhubarb, blood orange, dried cranberry, fading roses, sour cherry, faint Baharat spicing, bergamot and a hint of iris. The '24 Aphelion grenache suite is superb, with this vying for line honours. It's academically mid-weight but intense and incredibly long. It's got detail, confident ease, depth and transparency, with a sapid mineral tension to close. Yes, yes, yes! Points: 97/100
