Deep-ish, bright red with a good tint of purple; smoky reduction and earthy/woodsy aromas, milled peppercorns, terracotta/baked earth and dried-flower nuances. The palate is on the medium side of full bodied and has plenty of firm but fine tannins. A solid but elegant grenache of high quality. Impressive structure and ageworthiness. Points: 96/100
This alluring and broody 2022 Grenache, which spent 150 days in amphorae on skins, is intriguing although takes a little time to hit its straps opening up with confident but understated ham bone, red cherry and tobacco aromas. Succulent, juicy and a little wild with intense red licorice, dark earth and granite flavours supported by a broad swath of tannins. This will offer a fascinating ride over the next decade. Points: 95/100
This alluring and broody 2022 Grenache, which spent 150 days in amphorae on skins, is intriguing although takes a little time to hit its straps opening up with confident but understated ham bone, red cherry and tobacco aromas. Succulent, juicy and a little wild with intense red licorice, dark earth and granite flavours supported by a broad swath of tannins. This will offer a fascinating ride over the next decade. Points: 95/100
A thoroughly beautiful perfumed grenache from the Clarendon. Peter Fraser’s winemaking has been deliberately subtle and underplayed to ensure the beautifully flavoursome medium bodied fruit is expressed to perfection. The fruit retains a pristine purity which stems from the decision not to include pressings. Has a slight grainy mouthfeel capturing the slightly earthy varietal influence. Beautiful. Points: 95/100
100% destemmed and fermented in 1800 Litre stone amphorae on skins for 5 months, then matured for a further 15 months in said amphorae. If you take all the exquisite aromas of your favourite cool climate light to medium bodied red wine, you’ll most likely find most of them here. Wild strawberries, juicy mulberry, blood plums and red cherry. There is raw coffee bean, cocoa pods, rosemary flowers and lilac. Shiso leaf and gentian root. A silk sheet of dry tannins and astute acidity. A millpond of mouth watering moreishness. This is the next level Australian Grenache, it’s delicate and powerful, seductive and confident. It’s drinking like a dream! Serve with crispy salt and pepper whole quail and check you are still breathing, cause you might just be in heaven. Points: 98/100
Fragrant and vital, with crushed rose petals, dried thyme, strawberries and lavender. The tannins are long, lithe and detailed. Full-bodied yet floral. The feel is ethereal and the texture diaphanous until the ferrous, somewhat rustic tannins show in the finish. Drinkable now, but best from 2028. Points: 95/100
Destemmed, crushed and fermented in 1800L ‘cocciopesto’ (or opus signinum – a Roman ‘concrete’ that was used in bathhouses, cisterns and aqueducts) amphorae, with about 150 days on skins before pressing and returning, with 15 months' total time. Compared to the Ovitelli, this often shows a little more forward fruit and textural flex. In a year like 2022, where tannins and savouriness are turned up, that brighter pop gives this an earlier appeal, though it is no less equipped with mouth-puckering grip and zippy acidity. Raspberry, pomegranate, redcurrant, rosehip, musk, anise, dried orange peel, the fruit impeccably framed on the nose, and bound by an intricate net of fine sandy tannin on the palate carrying incredibly long. It’s an exceptional release. Points: 97/100
Destemmed, crushed and fermented in 1800L ‘cocciopesto’ (or opus signinum – a Roman ‘concrete’ that was used in bathhouses, cisterns and aqueducts) amphorae, with about 150 days on skins before pressing and returning, with 15 months' total time. Compared to the Ovitelli, this often shows a little more forward fruit and textural flex. In a year like 2022, where tannins and savouriness are turned up, that brighter pop gives this an earlier appeal, though it is no less equipped with mouth-puckering grip and zippy acidity. Raspberry, pomegranate, redcurrant, rosehip, musk, anise, dried orange peel, the fruit impeccably framed on the nose, and bound by an intricate net of fine sandy tannin on the palate carrying incredibly long. It’s an exceptional release. Points: 97/100
Strawberry conserve, raspberry, mint and sweet spice. It is a juicy strawberry flavoured wine, with firm stony and dusty tannin, does not have the depth and verity of fruit of the High Sands or Ovitelli, nor the complexity. It is juicy though, and offers almond and sage leaf, with a dusty chalky finish of good length. Points: 92/100
