August, 2024
Marcus Ellis - Halliday Wine Companion
2023 vintageFrom the estate’s 1946-planted bush vines. Half whole berries, half crushed, with gentle pump overs and extended maceration on some parcels up to seven months; matured in older French puncheons, foudre, ceramic eggs and amphorae. This is quite a different wine to the 2022. That’s a tale of two seasons. Both cool, but the buttress of natural tannin in the 2022 is commanding and it is more compressed, needing time. This is prettily lifted, with cherry, cranberry, rosehip, dried orange peel, wild raspberry and red florals. It’s a gloriously fine and elegant expression of this cuvée, but it has tannic drive, line and length, savouriness, flavour depth and detail. Excellent.
- 96 points
September, 2024
Campbell Mattinson - The Wine Front
2023 vintage
From 13.3 hectares of unirrigated bush vine Grenache, planted in 1946. Destemmed then fermented wild as 50/50 crushed and whole berries. Maceration on some parcels was as long as seven months. No pressings used. Matured in old French and Austrian foudres and puncheons, ceramic eggs and amphora. It was bottled in February for release in September, and has only just been sent out now. It feels nervy at first but it quickly settles and even before it has, a net of tannin has expanded and taken control. This grenache, even as it prances and skits, knows that it’s going to be good. It shows raspberry, cranberry and pomegranate characters, pippy and fruity, light and not light, a fish that can fly across the surface even as it dives for the deep. There’s a cleanliness to this wine but not a sterility; it presents its character in fresh, clean, intertwined lines. At $50 this wine remains a gift; intricacy of fruit, tannin and texture of this nature is rarely within such reach.
- 95 points
October, 2024
Ray Jordan - Winepilot
2023 vintage
Winemaker Peter Fraser knows a thing or two about grenache and this is an example of how he has finessed the fruit from this cooler vintage to create a wine of elegance and refinement. The savoury dried herbs of Blewitt Springs bring it to a vibrant highly energised palate. In many ways atypically Australian, but very much a part of this regional and vineyard expression.
- 95 points
January, 2025
Ryan Montgomery - JamesSuckling.com
2023 vintage
Perfumed and complex aromas of wild raspberries, potpourri, orange rind and dried herbs. The palate is medium- to full-bodied with vibrant acidity and fine tannins, giving notes of boysenberries, red licorice, blackberry bush and violets. A very complete wine made from old bush vines planted in 1946. Exceptional. Drink or hold. Screw cap.
- 95 points
November, 2022
James Halliday - Top 100 wines of 2022 & Halliday Wine Companion
2021 vintage
Wine of the Year Halliday Wine Companion Awards 2024Ex 1946 Blewitt Springs bush vines planted in a deep sandy dune that Yangarra call The Beach; dry-grown, bunch-sorted, wild yeast, open fermented and basket pressed. Bright clear though deep crimson hue; scented/perfumed, and I'm gone for all money without even tasting it. And I haven't fooled myself. Except why on earth is is only $45? Its red fruit sundae glistens with dew drops on a spider's web, yet also has a savoury echo towards the finish.
- 99 points
