2024 Aphelion Brini Vineyard Grenache
2024 Aphelion Brini Vineyard Grenache

2024 Aphelion Brini Vineyard Grenache

95 pts
Aphelion |McLaren Vale |Grenache
A single-vineyard Blewitt Springs Grenache that shows just how refined and aromatic the variety can be in McLaren Vale.
Price:
$70.00
Stock:
In stock, ready to ship, only 4 units left
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Description

Rob Mack’s single-vineyard Grenache wines have become a bit of a benchmark for how pure and expressive this variety can be in McLaren Vale. The Brini Vineyard, tucked into the sandy, elevated corner of Blewitt Springs, always gives him the most aromatic and elegant fruit in the lineup — a real contrast to the denser, darker styles you sometimes see from the Vale.

The fruit was hand-picked and fermented 100% whole bunch, giving the wine its bright perfume and a lovely, sappy edge. It then spent time in large neutral French oak, untouched and on lees, before being bottled the following autumn. Rob’s not trying to add anything here — just capture what the vineyard naturally gives.

It’s medium-bodied and savoury, with lifted plum and cherry fruit balanced by a herbal, slightly bitter twist and some earthy tannin. The texture is what really stands out — long, fine, and structured without heaviness. It’s a serious Grenache but still unmistakably Rob’s style: detailed, vibrant, and alive.

Campbell Mattinson

Campbell Mattinson

The Wine Front 91 Points

For the most part this wine is both juicy and perfumed but through the finish it feels edgy and dry, almost into the realm of drying, It’s a chalky, musky, red-berried wine with undergrowth and smoked meat characters along with potpourri and woodsy herbs. It added flesh as it breathed; it could just be going through a stage. Score is a bet each way.

Erin Larkin

Erin Larkin

The Wine Advocate 95 Points

The 2024 Brini Single Site Grenache was made in the same way as the other vintages, however the tannins feel completely different here. I asked winemaker Rob Mack if he did anything differently—I was wondering specifically about maturation vessel, as the tannins have a concrete-cast to them, like when a wine is matured in amphora or egg. However, everything about this wine remains true to site and style—same vineyard, same block, same 100% whole bunch, same old puncheons. So, what we see is the impact of season. And that is fascinating. With notes of pressed flowers, ash, clove, pomegranate and redcurrant, the impact of the whole bunches rides high here, as opposed to the other cuvées where it has been hidden—perhaps by the season, perhaps by time. I expect this character to ameliorate before release, as I have rarely comment on this character for the other vintages when I saw them on release. This 2024 Brini Single Site Grenache (and the 2024 Wait Single Vineyard Grenache) won't be released until the end of 2025. This was bottle number 358 of 800. 13.5% alcohol, sealed under Diam Origine.

Marcus Ellis

Marcus Ellis

Halliday Wine Companion 95 Points

From a higher block on the Brini vineyard, Blewitt Springs. Like its two siblings in the single-site range, this was fermented as 100% whole bunches, then pressed to neutral French oak for élevage of around a year. Like the Wait, this is somewhat moodier and more brooding (not bigger, just less yielding) than the Hickinbotham, and perhaps more so. It’s a little sinewy and spicy, and also edgy in a savoury way. Tart raspberry and balsamic-macerated strawberries, umeboshi, iron, pepper, celery salt and camphor. There are floral notes present, if a little restrained, a little compressed. Give it a year or so and it will soar.

appearance

Bright with a deep purple hue in the glass.
aroma

Lifted aromatics of cinnamon spice, damson plum, and brown sugar with a briar character that evolves in time.
palate

Medium plus in body, a savoury bitterness with an herbal edge balances the sweet cherry fruit. Prominent tannin provides a good structure and flavour length.
winemakers comments

Part of our premium SV Grenache range, the fruit used to make this wine is sourced from a single vineyard in the northeast corner of the Blewitt Springs area of McLaren Vale owned by the Brini family. The most aromatic and elegant wine in the range, dark plum fruits dominate with earth and forest floor characters to create a wine of depth and richness.
cellaring potential

Enjoy now and will continue to evolve through to 2034.
vinification

The fruit was hand-picked on the 12th March and processed as a 100% whole bunch ferment. After a slow and cool ferment the fruit was pressed to large format neutral French oak where it remained on full lees until racking for bottling in May 2025.

Price Bracket $51 to $100
Type Red
Body Medium Bodied
Variety Grenache
Country Australia
Region McLaren Vale
Australian State SA
Reviewed By Halliday Wine Companion
The Wine Front
The Wine Advocate
Critic Score 95
Alcohol 13.5%
Size 750ml
Vintage 2024
Closure DIAM Cork

Aphelion

Aphelion was established by Rob Mack and Louise Rhodes with a clear vision. They had one thing on their mind, to craft: "Genuine, Authentic, Quality McLaren Vale Grenache."

A couple of vintages in and they are right on the money. They have close relationships with local growers in the Vale who provide them with excellent Grenache fruit and Rob's deft touch in the winery takes care of the rest.

The range is slowly growing, as is their family. Their investigation into their pet variety is deepening, as is their fan base. The small batches of wine that come out of the Aphelion stable should have a close eye kept on them, more often than not there's something exciting and great value in the bottle.

Winemaker Rob Mack Aphelion

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