96 points - "Fruit is sourced from un-irrigated bush vines that were planted in 1946. 50% crushed and 50% whole berries intact. Maturation in seasoned Austrian and French oak foudre and puncheons, egg andamphora. Black and crimson berries lead the charge with poppyseed, acai and pizza olives. Holy basil, granite and raspberry straps weave throughout. Fruit brightness is magnified on the palate, with an emphasis on mulberries and some powdery dry tannins that give way to forestry and woody herbs. There is an exultancy about this wine; you cannot deny its precision. A wonderful site expression and depiction of the slightly warmer conditions whilst keeping focus and drive at its centre. It’s jubilant and should be enjoyed with something like veal scallopini. Drink now–2035" - The Vintage Journal

96 points - "Remarkable purity and perfume with a fruit-driven, savory and herbal edge. Aromas of red and black berries, pomegranate, red licorice, citrus peel and earth. The textural, rounded palate shows firmly framed yet silken tannins and generous fruit that bring the wine together beautifully. An excellent release. Outstanding value. Made from dry-grown vines planted in 1946. Drink or hold. Screw cap." - Ryan Montgomery (James Suckling)

95+ points - "From the estate’s 13-odd hectares of 1946-planted dry-grown bush vines. It’s a precious resource and is treated as such. The making is quiet: half crushed, half whole berries, gentle pump-overs, some long maceration to detail tannins, then old foudre, puncheons, ceramic eggs and amphorae. There’s a more generous feel to this release, with the year a tad warmer. Wild raspberry, ripe Bing cherry, warm terracotta, fading roses, fennel seeds and caraway. It’s a wine of intensity and grace, with the old vines yielding a silky charm to the feel and flavour intensity, with a finish of considerable verve and stylishly etched tannins. The last three releases are all so different, and all of the highest order." - Marcus Ellis (Halliday Wine Companion)

94 points - "Raspberry frogs, cherry, almond paste, spice and dried flowers, a subtle volatile lift adds a little frisson to it. Ripe red fruits, nutty and rich, fine silty tannin, dried cranberry, lots of perfume and character, with a fleshy finish of excellent length. Lovely wine. Perhaps a little slushy, but very nice all the same." - Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)

94 points - "‘Old Vine’ here refers to a dry-grown, bush-vine, biodynamic-certified block of grenache that was planted in 1946. It’s fermented wild with 50% whole berries. Some of this wine was left macerating on skins for over two months. It was matured in a mix of amphora, ceramic egg and foudre. The flavour here is savoury in general and yet it’s driven by a sweet, juicy ripeness. That’s the sleight-of-hand that drives the quality of this wine straight towards excellence. It’s a wine of finesse, and of filigreed tannin, and of juicy, raspberried, come-hither fruit, and yet throughout there are notes of rust, chalk, dried herbs, saltbush and crushed, dry leaves. It’s a ripping drink, decidedly good value in the overall scheme of things, charismatic and charming." - Campbell Mattinson (CampbellMattinson.com)

94 points - "Raspberry frogs, cherry, almond paste, spice and dried flowers, a subtle volatile lift adds a little frisson to it. Ripe red fruits, nutty and rich, fine silty tannin, dried cranberry, lots of perfume and character, with a fleshy finish of excellent length. Lovely wine. Perhaps a little slushy, but very nice all the same." - Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)

93 points - "This comes from 13.3 hectares of un-irrigated bush vines planted in 1946 and was matured in an eclectic mix of old Austrian and French oak foudre and puncheons, ceramic egg, and amphora. There’s a mineral and linear feel straight off – Bing cherry, warm sand and white pepper spice make way for wild raspberry, cranberry and crushed strawberry. There’s a nutty nuance and some pressed-flower lift with air. The palate has lovely buoyancy and brightness while still retaining ample, suave texture. Raspberry and warm sand again, cranberry, crushed violet and macerated strawberry. The tannins are super fine with both crunchiness and an assertive frame that carries to good length. There’s lightness of touch but loads of interest and complexity – modern McLaren Vale Grenache to a tee." - Tom Kline (Wine Pilot)

2024 OLD VINE GRENACHE

Our Grenache bush vines are old. These gnarly strugglers were planted in 1946 in a
deep sandy dune we call The Beach, overlying the North Maslin Sands geological
formation. The Old Vine Grenache is a complex, perfumed and elegant wine with a
trademark tannin structure.

VINTAGE SUMMARY

A normal wet winter was followed by a picturesque dry spring. The long range weather patterns indicated a shift from La Niña towards El Niño, which favours drier and hotter conditions. In these warmer seasons, we adjust our practices to encourage slightly higher yields and more canopy cover. However, the unexpected summer rainfall in December and January presented a unique challenge, resulting in larger bunches and berry development. Warm conditions prevailed through February and early March, promoting ripening of flavours and sugars with the balance we were aiming for. The warmth led to an intense couple of weeks, during which we harvested the majority of the grapes.

WINEMAKING

Sourced exclusively from 13.3 hectares of un-irrigated bush vines planted in 1946. Hand-picked in mid-March, selectively sorted in the winery. Gently destemmed with 50% crushed, 50% whole berries retained. Wild yeast fermentation in stainless steel. A very gentle pump over regime, often just wetting the cap. Some extended macerating up to 2 and a half months to polish the tannins. No pressings used. Maturation in a mixture of old Austrian and French oak foudre and puncheons, ceramic egg and amphora. Bottled February 2025. Certified organic and biodynamic.