2016 Old Vine Grenache - Half Bottle

VINTAGE SUMMARY

The 2016 growing season was marked by a very dry spring it intially seemed as if we were headed for a very early and compressed season. Summer came along, bringing with it some mild rains which slowed down the sugar ripening of the vines. This helped to give brightness and fleshiness to the wines of this vintage.

All of our Grenache grapes are hand-picked. As much as we pick on sugar/acid balance, and importantly physiological characters, we also consider the biodynamic calendar where possible, with fruit days and flower days being the most desirable, and a root day avoided.

The vineyard is certified Biodynamic (certification # 11587) with Australian Certified Organic. We have quite a practical approach, with our philosophy focused around healthy and alive soil, which involves no use of synthetic herbicides or fungicides, use of compost and biodynamic preparations, use of sheep in winter to graze under vine, and minimal mechanical soil disruption.

WINE MAKING

The fruit for this wine was sourced from blocks 23, 24, 25 and 29. These are dry-farmed bush vines that were planted in 1946, in our ancient sands that overlie the North Maslin geology. The grapes were hand-picked, destemmed and mechanically sorted. 50% whole berries. The berries were then tipped in to open fermenters, cold-soaked for 5-6 days and underwent wild yeast fermentation. No pressings were used. The wine in barrel was kept on lees in older French oak for 10 months. Not fined. Certified Organic/Biodynamic.