2018 Twelftree Brooks Road Clarendon Grenache

Base Geology:Belair Group: Siltstone, dark grey, laminated with minor sandstone, dolomite interbeds; quartzite, fine to coarse, feldspathic, cross bedded, minor silstone interneds; slate

Soil: Very shallow clay loam over solid shalestone

Climate: Mediterranean 2018 seasonal rainfall 787mm

Elevation: 227 metres

Vines: 84 year old vines untrellised and unirrigated

Picking date: 27th of March 2018

Winemaking: Hand picked fruit, destemmed, not crushed, 20% whole bunch, cold soaked, natural fermentation, punched down, 20 days on skins, light pressings

Maturation: 500 litre French oak and stainless steel punchons for 10 months

Production: 50 dozen

Tasting Notes:
COLOUR
Deep dark red magenta in colour

AROMA
Moss rock, dried herbs, beef stock, nutmeg, ginger, cured meats, rose water and orange grind leap from the glass,
the aromatic are quite explosive and they ready do set the picture from the get go

PALATE
The palate follows through on what the bouquet offers, the fruit stretches across your tongue. This wine is not overly dense but is lip smacking delicious, it has a real spine with tension. The magic act here is how the wine maintains it texture and weightlessness while the tannin and dry extract stay in the back ground and all fall into line in the late palate. This has a drive and subtlety that is the hallmark of exquisite Grenache. This is a sneaky wine and one that will cellar for much longer than I may originally suggest, 5 to 8 years with easy, but I have a feeling this will make much older bones. Viva Grenache.

Michael Twelftree – Nov 2020