2024 Spinifex Grenache Gris

93 pts
Spinifex |Barossa Valley |Grenache Gris
Only the second ever release of Estate-grown Grenache Gris from Spinifex. A new variety to watch in the Barossa!

Price:
Sale price$32.00
Stock:
In stock, ready to ship
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Description

Pete Schell has been working with Grenache Gris for nearly thirty years, so while these vines at his Dominion vineyard are only four years old, he knows exactly how to handle them. They’re planted in the deep sands of Vine Vale, literally a stone's throw from the winery, sitting right next to some of the Barossa’s centurion Shiraz and Grenache vines.

Pete's very happy with how quickly this site has found its voice. He’s trellised the vines low to the ground and thins them out during the season to make sure the fruit really packs a punch. To get that signature texture, he gives the grapes a bit of time on skins before fermenting them in big, old French oak foudres.

The wine spent eight months on its lees, which gives it a lovely silky weight without losing any of that fresh, seaside energy. It’s got this cool mix of orange blossom and wild herbs, sitting over a core of salty summer peach.

It’s a textural, complex white that finishes with a distinct briny tang. If you’re looking for something outside the usual Barossa suspects, this is a brilliant example of why Pete is considered one of the most thoughtful winemakers in the country.

93 points
"White wine with presence. This is the goods. Stonefruits, fistfuls of woodsy spice, brine, lemon myrtle and chalk characters really do talk up a good game here. There’s a gentle, grippy, textural element as well and a general impression of “body”. 100% convincing. Buy."
- Campbell Mattinson (The Wine Front)

93 points - "White wine with presence. This is the goods. Stonefruits, fistfuls of woodsy spice, brine, lemon myrtle and chalk characters really do talk up a good game here. There’s a gentle, grippy, textural element as well and a general impression of “body”. 100% convincing. Buy." - Campbell Mattinson (The Wine Front)

This 2024 Grenache Gris is only the second release from Spinifex's newest vineyard planting. Despite it's youth, the wine is abundantly complex and delicious, which should come as no surprise to those who know Pete and Magali's history in the south of France, which this grape sometimes calls home.

The duo planted a small plot of Grenache Gris on their Dominion vineyard in 2020, just a stone's throw from their winery in the heart of the Barossa. The young vines are trellised low to the ground in dainty rows which sit atop nutrient-poor soils of sand, gravel and clay. Pete thins the vines throughout the season to promote quality and intensity in the fruit. The young vines share this plot with some centurion heavyweights, including Grenache and Shiraz vine dating back to the early 1900's. Unintimidated, this nascent plot is ready to carve a path for Grenache Gris in a portfolio that lovingly pays homage to the traditions of both the Barossa and France's south.

Pete has worked with Grenache Gris for over 27 years. He is well-equipped to bring out the best in these fledgling vines it shows. These grapes were hand-harvested and rested on skins for 6-8 hours to bring out the rich flavours and gentle pithiness. For a textural lift, Pete fermented and aged the wine in large, old foudres where it spent 8 months on lees before assemblage and bottling. The resultant wine boasts a silky texture, with flavours redolent of orange blossoms and wild herbs on a plate of salted summer peaches. The wine finishes with a wave of salt-spray that leaves the drinker perpetually reaching for another sip.

Price Bracket $31 to $40
Type White
Body Medium Bodied
Variety Grenache Gris
Country Australia
Region Barossa Valley
Australian State SA
Reviewed By The Wine Front
Critic Score 93
Size 750ml
Vintage 2024
Closure Screw Cap

Spinifex Wines

Spinifex are one of the 'New' Barossa's true pioneer producers. Husband and wife team Peter Schell & Magali Gely have extensive experience in southern France, which proves the inspiration for their unique wines made from predominantly Rhone varietals.

Spinifex was on the front line of the new wave of Barossa producers. Peter's wines brought a new sensibility to the region, they were lower in alcohol, concentrated but elegant, and balanced to perfection. He takes the art of blending into the realm of the virtuoso. There are few wineries who deliver refinement and poise from the Barossa Valley like Spinifex.

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