Additional information
| Weight | 1.467 kg |
|---|
2021 Clarendon Hills Romas Grenache
$150.00 / bottle
Taste the terroir of Blewitt Springs, McLaren Vale in this old vine, unfiltered, hand made flagship example. Clarendon Hills Romas Grenache is a single vineyard wine made from a patch of fruit on the steepest and rockiest section of the Blewitt Springs Grenache vineyard. Gnarly old vines planted in the 1940’s produce microscopic yields along with amazing acidity and present an acidity profile similar to that of a white wine. The density of the rocks and soil up in this part of the vineyard defines Romas and warrants its isolation from other parts of the vineyard and position as flagship Grenache expression at Clarendon Hills. The heavy presence of ironstone, quartz and shale rocks limit the size and yields of these vines and the resulting wine reflects the mineral elements. The expression we receive from this highly concentrated part of the vineyard is utterly hedonistic and offers mineral complexity for the wine collectors and enthusiasts out there. Typically each vintage yields a vivid kaleidoscope of fresh cut roses, Turkish delight, musk, sherbert, blood orange, blueberry, raspberry and kirsch fruit across an effortless powerful palate aloft with silk and ultra fine talcum like extract. Nuances of crushed rock, flint, graphite, iodine and ferrous like rust take this expression to the next level. Despite the majesty of the tasting note the profile is medium weighted and mirrors an iron fist in the velvet glove analogy. Amazing both right now to drink and also for the next 20 years in the cellar.
Specifications
RegionRegion
Blewitt Springs, McLaren Vale. A sprawling hillside region 10 kms North East of McLaren Vale town centre famous for its added comparative elevation and abundant hillside aspects whose rich ironstone and deep sand deposits forge individual and highly fragrant wines. The Romas Grenache is a single site wine from a bush vine patch planted in the 1940’s. This is the steepest stoniest section of the Blewitt Springs Grenache site previously tasted. The old gnarly bush vines are dry grown and are extremely low yielding. This site has a due East aspect and is located at 240 metres above sea level and represents Blewitt Springs’ higher altitude stony geology with less sands and more quartz, ironstone and shale content. The rocky soils impact most noticeably on reduced yields and added concentration.
Conditions
After three dry and warm-to-hot vintages in a row, 2021 was a bit of a relief for local winemakers. Heavy rain in the early growing season gave healthy levels of balanced fruit, with the total crush up 28% from the lows of 2020. After a hot start to the season, the weather cooled in December, avoiding any significant heat spikes. The cooler ripening weather and elevated yields show in the elegance and generous fruit in the wines.
Winemaking
Low yielding, dry grown vines from the Blewitt Springs region in McLaren Vale were hand-picked and followed by a 60% whole berry, wild yeast fermentation. All pressings were returned to barrel and eventually bottled onsite without fining or filtration after 18 months in French Oak. The Romas Grenache represents our flagship example of single vineyard old vine Grenache.
Maturation
18 months, within a hierarchy of 1-5 year old tightly grained French Oak. Bottled at the winery with no fining or filtration.
Grape Variety
100% Grenache, single vine, old vines
Closure
DIAM
Production
6000 bottles
Winemaker
Roman Bratasiuk
"The 2021 Romas Grenache is spicy and full—fuller than I would have expected given the cooler season that was 2021 (as compared to the previous, much hotter 2020). This is inky, savory and intense, with musk sticks, raspberry cordial, roasted meat juice and plum skin. It is very ripe and plush, with enveloping tannins, and somehow the oak feels round and toasty here. It is earth driven but shaped by oak rather than soil. This is a lovely wine, a big wine! 14.5% alcohol, sealed under DIAM."
2021 Romas Grenache
95/100
- Wine Advocate, Erin Larkkin
“This is from a specific patch of 1940’s plantings, on the ‘steepest and rockiest section’ of their Blewitt Springs vineyard. And, I have to say, it marches to the beat of its own drum, when compared to other old vine Grenache offerings from this part of the world. No problem with that, just duly noted. It’s immense.
Black fruit, cherry liqueur, malt and clove, a whole lot of mocha and spice, ginger biscuits, dried roses, pan juices, orange peel – the whole shooting match. It’s thick and concentrated, intense liquroice and liqueur-like flavour, lavish stony tannin, pomegranate acidity, coffee bean, and freeze dried raspberry, a little warmth, maybe, but enveloped in so much flesh and flavour, so much so that it’s kind of a black hole of old vine Grenache. The finish is long and powerful. Quite something.”
2021 Romas Grenache
96/100
- Gary Walsh, Wine Front
