2023 Head Ancestor Vine Grenache

Alex Head's flagship Grenache from vine nearly 170 years old.

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Sale price$91.00
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Description

In this Ancestor Vine Grenache, you can see Alex Head's winemaking passion and philosophy distilled into a single bottle. From an ancient vineyard in Springton in the Eden Valley, these warhorse vines planted in 1858 yield fruit of dazzling concentration and complexity. In the hands of Alex, the fruit sings.

The 2023 vintage was a cooler, late-ripening run that played perfectly into Alex's hands. He kept things minimalist in the shed, using whole bunches during the wild ferment and old oak casks to ensure the wood stayed completely out of the picture.

This isn't your typical sweet, confectionary Barossa Grenache. It is a pale, translucent red that is savory to its core, packed with wild briar fruits, dried orange peel bitter edges, and a dusty, dark earthiness. The tannin web is exceptionally fine but firm, giving it an incredible line and length.

From a man who's made a name for himself as one of the country's great Grenache makers, this sits right up the top of the tree. Extremely limited.

95 points - "Deep red tinged with purple; dominant vanilla ice-cream aroma at first, some oak suspected, then ironstone/graphite mineral notes, while the palate is firm and tensioned, with red berries, subtle spices, freshening acidity and a drying finish of substantial length. A solid, honest glass of full-bodied, concentrated grenache which is guaranteed to have a long and productive lifespan." - Huon Hooke (The Real Review)

94 points - "Deep crimson with characters of satsuma plum, red cherry and dark berry fruits, hints of exotic spice, black tea, gingerbread, purple florals, dried meats, crushed rock and gentle crushed herbs. Finely structured with nicely poised red and dark fruits, an array of spice and exotic nuance and an understorey of fine, powdery granitic tannin, finishing sustained with bright sour-cherry acidity and an elegant line." - Dave Brookes (Halliday Wine Companion)

94 points - "This is from Stonegarden planted 167 years ago. 10% whole bunch. Old Austrian oak They used to call Arnold Schwarzenegger ‘The Austrian Oak’. 786 bottles produced.

Raspberry, red cherry, a hazelnut praline richness, mint and rosy perfume. Medium to full-bodied, a nutty savoury element, some blood orange and peel, fine grainy tannin, dried herb perfume and spice, quite dusty/peppery on a finish of excellent length. It’s a wine of distinct character from a cooler, more spicy year, and very good too." - Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)

From Stonegarden, a 167 year old vineyard planted near Springton at 400m altitude in the coldest, driest and most remote part of the Eden Valley. In a cool, humid and very late vintage, the vines struggled to yield 1/2 tonne/acre. Soils are sandy loam over decomposed granite (with a large variety of stoney rubble including mica/schist/gneiss/quartz/ironstone). Some whole-bunches are utilised in the fermentation. Numbered bottles. Only 800 produced.

Price Bracket $51 to $100
Type Red
Body Full Bodied
Variety Grenache
Country Australia
Region Barossa Valley
Australian State SA
Reviewed By Halliday Wine Companion
The Wine Front
The Real Review
Wine Pilot
Critic Score 95
Alcohol 14%
Size 750ml
Vintage 2023
Closure Screw Cap

Head Wines

Alex Head has had what you might call a meteoric rise through the Australian wine industry. In his short career as a producer he has been heralded as one of the best Young Gun Winemakers, not only in the Barossa but the whole country.

With no formal training as a winemaker, the purity and balance inherent in the wines are amazing.

Alex has a passion for the old vineyards that populate the Barossa. With a keen eye for a good site, Alex has put together a formidable portfolio of vineyards which produce simply outstanding renditions of Shiraz and Grenache year-in, year-out. These are some of the most exciting wines in the Barossa.

Alex in the vines Barossa Valley, SA Head Wines

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