92+ Points - "It's ebullient in perfume, huge wafts of kirsch, raspberry jelly, white pepper and cinnamon. The palate is doused in liquid spice of clove and cinnamon, that grip builds nicely albeit a little smudged in a way too and all of that clambers over the bright, kirsch-like fruit characters. It feels quite sweet to taste, a bit deceptive in as much as it finishes dry and smoky-earthy. It feels like a wine not quite in synch for its various parts yet, but I believe that will all come together, and there's plenty of great elements here." - Mike Bennie (The Wine Front)

96 Points - "Sourced from the lauded Smart vineyard, the highest dry-grown site in the Vale. This is good, quirky and, like its winemaker, probing for secrets and answers. There feels to be an intuitive acceptance of what gives and what doesn't, rather than any shovelling into stylistic boxes. After all, this is not galumphing and heavy like the old-school, nor is it shimmering with the red-fruited pinot-esque transparency of the new. Chinotto, tamarind, clove and kirsch, the souk-scented ferrous tannins a spicy curtail to any excess. There is a scent of the southern Rhône more, perhaps, than the Gredos (the aspirational totem for so many). A beautiful point of difference with every sip." - Ned Goodwin MW (Halliday Wine Companion)

95 points - "Brad Hickey has moved into the Grenache game. Usually producing a Grenache Mataro blend, he's stepped things up and sourced some fruit from the 70 year old vines in the Smart Vineyard. What an excellent and delicately handled debut this is! Only 100 cases were produced and the precise handling Brad is known for is evident here. The fruit is vibrant and pretty as it skips about with joyous abandon. Brad's mantra of "Keep cool but care" seeps from every pore of this wine. It's measured and considered every step of the way. Juicy red berries parade alongside blue fruits that create a buzz - the energy and enthusiastic vibe cannot be denied. Soft scents of lavender and purple flowers evoke a gravitational pull before the fruit hits. It lands and just teases. The prettiness, that bit of earthiness, it's just a damn good drink. Coupled with an eye-catching label that screams uber-cool shelf appeal, this is stand and applaud material." - Q Wine Reviews

This is our first, true stand alone Grenache. One parcel handpicked from the heritage Smart Vineyard in the hilly sub region of Clarendon. Planted in 1955, this is one of the real grand cru sites in South Australia. Hand-picked and fermented wild in an open fermenter for two weeks, the pressed wine spent fifteen months in two trusty 500L French puncheons. This time in barrel further forged the fine tannins and helped flesh out the perfume of this fine Grenache.

Region: McLaren Vale, SA
Blend: Grenache (100%)
ABV: 14.20%
Closure: 750ml
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