Wine Code Breaker #271

One from the archives of 2018…In looking back through the tasting year of 2018 there has been an apparent bias towards Grenache.  So let’s just call it as it is, the year of Grenache.  The more of these wines you get to see the more you marvel at how they have evolved.  From the fill for fortifieds in the early years to becoming bold alcohol driven table wines to what we are now seeking is an elegant spice driven style.  The ones that you really marvel at are those crafted from old vines.  The oldest are those from the mid 1800s in the Barossa Valley.  These patches of paradise have seen many a season pass as well as surviving phylloxera outbreaks and political tensions seeking to pull vines when there was a glut.  Glut or no glut, these are vines that deserve to be recognised for what they are, a national treasure and preserved for all time.  

The 2012 Cirillo 1850 Ancestor Vine Grenache is produced from vines dating back to 1848 from the Barossa Valley region in South Australia.  These are regarding as some of the oldest vines under continuous production and has produced a crimson garnet coloured wine that is evocatively bright and inviting.  The nose is stunningly complex with rose petals, raspberries, liquorice and coffee notes too.  The gloriousness of the nose is more than matched by the palate with its red berries, pomegranates and black jubes.  Chocolate, freshly sliced fennel and zest of lemon adding a twist.  Could that be a dirty martini hidden in amongst this?  Elegant mouthfeel with the tannins softly dancing and waltzing into the distance for a long lingering finish.  Definitely worthy of national treasure status.

Enjoy!