2025 Aphelion Welkin Grenache

93 pts
An easygoing, vibrant McLaren Vale Grenache with freshness, flavour and sheer drinkability.

Price:
Sale price$26.00
Stock:
In stock, ready to ship
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Description

This is the bright, early-drinking side of Grenache that Rob Mack does so well at Aphelion. Rob was something of an early adopter in championing McLaren Vale Grenache in a fresher, lighter style, and Welkin is the juicy, everyday entry point to his Grenache lineup.

We like to call it "furiously aromatic", and it fairly leaps out of the glass. Raspberry, red cherry and redcurrant lead the way, with baking spice, white pepper and a twiggy, herbal edge that keeps it savoury and moreish. It's light on its feet, with juicy acidity and just enough grainy grip to give it shape.

Pour it with light tapas, a cheese board with fresh chevre, or a mid-week pasta. Give it a light chill on a warm arvo and it's very hard to stop at one glass. At this price, the critics reckon you should be buying it by the case, and we're not going to argue.

93 points
"This is arguably one of the few case-buy grenache offerings on the Australian market. It's fresh, complex, well fruited and well-shaped – and indeed well-priced."
- Campbell Mattinson (The Wine Front)

92 points
"The emphasis is on keen drinkability and food-friendly structure. Great drinking."
- Marcus Ellis (Halliday Wine Companion)

93 points - "You’re doing well here. This is arguably one of the few case-buy grenache offerings on the Australian market. It’s fresh, complex, well fruited and well-shaped – and indeed well-priced. It gives you everything that you want in grenache and it gives it to you up front. Raspberries, twiggy spice, aromatic herbs, some darker bass notes, plenty of treble. It’s better than you expect it to be and maybe even better than it needs to be. Needless to say, it drinks a treat." - Campbell Mattinson (The Wine Front)

92 points - "There’s now quite a grenache suite from Aphelion, which was a relatively early adopter of pushing the new message for the grape. This is at the everyday end of things, the juicy and bright hopping-off point. As always, though, there’s some thoughtful shading to the pop of bright colour. Baking spices and white pepper accent the strawberry, glossy cherry and redcurrant fruit in this medium-weight expression. The emphasis is on keen drinkability and food-friendly structure. Great drinking." - Marcus Ellis (Halliday Wine Companion)

91 points - "Bright ruby, with raspberry and red cherry fruits and savoury notes of rubbed earth and bunchy stems. Sanguine too, like a rare steak. Light-bodied, with juicy, juby fruit balanced out by firm grainy tannins. Versatile and easy to reach for." - Melissa Moore (The Real Review)

Customer Reviews

The Welkin Grenache By Aphelion 2024 is part of our special range of vibrant, early release, ready to enjoy, but delightfully complex wines.

We like to call the Welkin Grenache "furiously aromatic".

It fairly leaps out of the glass at you!

Delicately hand picked with 50% from a 20 year old Grenache vineyard towards the sea in Whites Valley and 50% from the hilly, sandy Blewitt Springs.

Revel in this wine's light body, heady spiciness and juicy acidity.


Meet Welkin Grenache

Tasting Note: Beautifully intense purple colour. Pure fruited aromas of redcurrant and cinnamon follow through on to the palate with fresh acidity keeping the wine lively and
vibrant. A small percentage of whole bunch fermentation in the wine adds a savoury element and herbal notes. The Welkin Grenache is a light bodied wine that works very well in an aperitivo setting.

Goes With Food: Perfect with light tapas or light to medium bodied cuisine.

Goes With Cheese: Fresh chevre matches this wine’s youthful vibrancy.

Goes With Music: Jake Bugg – Lightning Bolt.

Goes With Life: A great wine to kick off with, it’s light body keeps the drinkability factor high.

Serve At: 16-18 degrees Celsius.

When to Drink: Ready to drink now whilst it retains it’s youthful vibrancy but will drink well over the next 5 – 8 years.

ABV%: 13%

Unfiltered | Unfined | Vegan

Price Bracket $30 or Less
Type Red
Body Light Bodied
Variety Grenache
Country Australia
Region McLaren Vale
Australian State SA
Reviewed By The Wine Front
Halliday Wine Companion
The Real Review
Critic Score 93
Alcohol 14%
Size 750ml
Vintage 2025
Closure Screw Cap

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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