15 of Australia’s Best Grenache
…from 10 producers
Alkina | Cirillo | Greenock Creek | Penfolds | S.C. Pannell | Swinney | Thistledown | Torbreck | Willunga 100 | Yangarra
Saturday, August 15th
Hosted by JJ
Masterclass: 3–5pm |15 wines & canapés | $195
The Wine List
2024 Alkina Estate Grenache
94 Points - Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion
Old-vine grenache sourced from the Alkina Old Quarter Blocks 7 (48%, clay/limestone) and 10 (26%, clay) plus Polygon No. 5 (6%, schist/clay), with the remainder from the young Block 18 (20%). Raspberry, dried strawberry, amaro, crushed rock, medina spice, twiggy facets and struck iron. Textural, purely fruited and exotic, with a supple array of fine tannins and a tension between fruit, tannin and mineral cadence that is bang on the money. Man, these cats can sure make a fine grenache.
2024 Alkina Kin Grenache
93 Points - Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion
Grenache from three estate blocks (18, 22 and 25); 80% whole-bunch fermentation in concrete tulips, matured in concrete. A light, breezy ruby in colour with characters of bright and bouncy raspberry, redcurrant, red cherry and cranberry fruits cut with wildflowers, Turkish delight, tea cake, rose petals, blood orange and Aperol spritz. Light, airy and just great drinking. There are some superfine, powdery tannins here but this will take a chill like a champion for sure.
2007 Cirillo 1850 OV Grenache
92 Points - Josh Raynolds, Vinous
Inky ruby. High-pitched aromas of red berry preserves, musky herbs and potpourri, with an exotic note of apricot pit in the background. Fresh and focused, offering juicy red and dark berry flavors and strong spicy lift. Rich but energetic grenache with strong finishing cut and noteworthy persistence.
2017 Cirillo 1850 OV Grenache
98 points, Angus Hughson, Vinous
This 2017 old vine Grenache 1850 Ancestor Vine is a little shy at first but then shows breathtaking purity of dark cherry and musky plum with some more exotic cinnamon stick and red licorice hints. The 2017 is beautifully textured and weighted, and despite quite serious underlying power, it remains light on its feet. The excellent vibrancy of fruit is on show and slowly builds layer upon layer of savory roasted meat complexity. Strong ironstone adds backbone to a delightfully perfumed finish. It's a world beater with killer length and the best 1850 yet from Cirillo. (Drink between 2032-2045)
2021 Greenock Creek Cornerstone Grenache
92 Points - Huon Hooke, The Real Review
Deep red-purple colour with rich chocolate and dark-fruit aromas, the palate full-bodied and softly fleshy, with lashings of fine, powdery tannins surrounding a lovely fruit sweetness. A cleansing trace of bitterness at the finish. Very smart grenache of a deeper, fuller style.
2024 Penfolds Bin 21 Grenache
95 points - Halliday Wine Companion
The Bin 21 Grenache has been in fine form lately and again impresses with the '24 release. A vibrant medium crimson in the glass with aromas of red and dark plum, boysenberry, raspberry and wild strawberry. Hints of exotic spice, cola, pomegranate juice, earth and gingerbread. Pure plummy fruits on the palate with hints of ginger cake. A cloud of nice fine tannin provides some gentle chew to its form, and there is a plume of pure fruit and spice on the exit. Closure: Screw cap. 14.5% alcohol. (Drink by 2036)
2023 S.C Pannell Old Macdonald Grenache
Mclaren Vale Wine Show Trophy Winner
97 Points - James Suckling, James Suckling.com
Perfumed aromas of dried strawberries, dark cherries, cinnamon bark, blueberry bush, violets and spices. The seamless palate has a creamy texture, finely tuned tannins and bright acidity in complete harmony with a long, mouthwatering finish. From 81-year-old vines that give depth and tension to this nervy, refined grenache. Almost the purest, most refined release from Pannell’s single-vineyard range this year. Excellent. Drink or hold.
2023 S.C Pannell Smart Grenache
2022 S.C Pannell Sunrise 99 Grenache
100 Points - Erin Larkin, Robert Parker's - The Wine Advocate - A perfect Score!
The Sunrise vineyard was planted in 1920. The 2022 Sunrise Grenache marks the first time this wine has been made and released. Steve Pannell pruned the vineyard himself prior to purchasing it in 2021. The wine here is silky and seamless, packed with tannin, flavor and perfume. "I didn't make it any differently [than the other Grenaches]; I've just let the vineyard sing," he said. And sing, it does. This is a wholly complex, complete and persistently long wine. There are notes of Boscobel rose, sweet licorice, graphite, ironstone and tobacco. What a wine. In terms of character, this combines the texture and complexity of the Smart vineyard and the ethereal spice and delicacy of the Little Branch and then raises the bar of both to a whole new level. The release of this Sunrise Grenache marks the arrival of an "off-leash Pannell"; he has been tirelessly championing premium Grenache from McLaren Vale for years in his own oeuvre of structure, shape, tannin and freshness. The acquisition of this vineyard site has given him all the permission he needed, it seems. In many ways, it feels as if all of the Grenache that Pannell has made over the decades has been leading up to this point. It was worth the wait. And there are great things to come in future releases too.
98 Points - Halliday Wine Companion
“…Another great Vale grenache. Top Tier. Bravo.”
2024 Swinney Farvie Grenache
2023 Thistledown Sands of Time Grenache (Magnum)
2022 Torbreck Les Amis Grenache
2022 Willunga 100 Trott Vineyard Grenache
96+ Points - Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate
The 2022 Trott Vineyard Grenache Blewitt Springs is excellent. It is both sweet and mineral, spicy and fine, with fleshy fruit and intense flavor, and all-round, it's relatively thrilling. It combines eminent drinkability and deliciousness with serious complexity, all the while framed by very fine, savory, silty tannins. There's dried rose petals, tobacco, ozone, sea spray, black cherry, raspberry pip, white pepper (not making any allusions to cool climate, just stating what I see), graphite, black tea and something really juicy and fine right at the tip of my tongue. This is a truly exciting wine here. The Trott Vineyard was planted in 1952 and is an east-facing vineyard with dry-grown bush vines. Being in Blewitt Springs, it is all about the ancient, sandy soils over clay and ironstone. What a wine! The tannins! 14.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.
2023 Yangarra High Sands Grenache
2023 Yangarra Old Vine Grenache