Hither & Yon Grenache Mataro Grenache Mataro 2023
Thistledown Wines Walking with Kings Roussanne Grenache Blanc 2023
G 91
G 91
Matured for 14 months in old French puncheons. 70% Grenache and 30% Mataro. A real mix of blackberries, red cherry and pomegranate. The wine has a stirring ripe herbal nuance, like creeping ivy over a wild rose bush. Acidity has kept crunchy and vibrant with understated oak rounding out the closure, Mataro giving the wine that little speed hump of flesh on the middle palate. A clever wine that would please a Pinot drinker all the way to a Shiraz drinker. Drink now–2027 In Praise of Shadows Ki Fiano 2024 G 91 Yellow plums, frangipani blossom and creamed honey. Fresh-squeezed lemon juice and winter melon slices. A lightness of touch on the palate but with plenty of Fiano flavour. Lemon square tart, buttermilk creaminess and toasted almonds on the finish. There is a sandy crushed sesame element too. This ticks all the boxes for a detailed, dry and fruit-forward style of white wine. I’m so glad the people of McLaren Vale are embracing it. Here, at IPOS, they’re celebrating it. Drink now–2026 Lloyd Brothers Estate Blend GSM 2022 G 91 75% Grenache, 17% Shiraz, and 8% Mourvèdre. A heady mix of blackcurrants, prune plums and wild red cherries. Espresso, tiramisu and cocoa nib. A hint of cola and brown baking spices. Quite viscous on the palate. This has a plushness to the weight with sturdy gritty tannins to allow for cellaring. It has an almost syrupy palate that feels indulgent and somewhat wickedly naughty. Drink now–2028
Rockmelon, Jonathan apple and yellow pear. Dry sandstone and bronze fennel. Hay and lanolin. The wine has a salty fine line of acidity that leans to a cashew and candlenut creaminess. It’s equally broad with peach flesh but whipped up by the salinity to make for interesting drinking, and especially attractive with white meats. A wine that makes sense in its growing conditions. Drink now–2027 Ulithorne Prospera Shiraz 2022 G 91 A wilderness of forest berries and winter pine. Thistle and crème de mûre. There is a strawberry roll-up element that intertwines with sweet baking spices. Clove, cardamom and cedar. Mocha and cocoa tones on the palate. Decadently ripe with some spice and oak toast to counter the ripple of berries. Satisfying. Drink now– 2028 Varney Wines GMT Grenache Mourvèdre Touriga 2023 G 91 73% Grenache, 18% Mourvèdre, 9% Touriga. Blackberries, Bing cherries and a bouquet garni of herbs. Fresh bay leaf, Kalamata olive brine and granitic sand. A touch of mulberry too. The palate draws back from blue fruit and sits in the just- ripe blackberries arena. Smart and taut acidity followed by coarse and yet well integrated tannins. Savoury oak spice mingles behind the fruit. A wine made for enjoying with a buffet of foods, a great all-rounder. Drink now–2026 Wirra Wirra Dry Grenache Rosé Grenache 2024 G 91 Palest pink hues in the glass. Wild strawberries, cantaloupe and blood orange citrus. A crunch of Pink Lady apple acidity and cascade of fresh strawberry punch. Bone dry but with lingering flavours of berry cheesecake and almond nougat. A fun but totally thoughtful Rosé. Drink now Wirra Wirra The Absconder Grenache 2023 G 91 An alluring wine with high notes of tulip and pansy, dehydrated raspberries and cherry sherbet. The fruit is quite ripe on the plate with some candied hearts and rhubarb. Sandy tannins and a touch of sage leaf. There is brightness and lift here with a touch of slurp and lip-smacking acidity. Drink now–2026 Yangarra Circle Collection Piquepoul 2024 G 91 Stirred on lees for five months in a mix of stainless steel and Amphorae. Granny Smith apple, elderflower cordial and lime pith. A hint of fennel and freshness of a cucumber melon. This has a hint of margarita salt salinity and is just as addictive. Crunchy, linear and fresh. Drink now
Penny’s Hill Edwards Road Cabernet Sauvignon 2022
G 91
A cauldron of blackberries, steep cherries and brooding spices. Allspice, cloves and bay leaf. Liquorice all-sorts and Old Gold dark chocolate. Granite and fresh tar. The palate has a suck to the sappy tannins and middle palate weight. Lingering acidity and dark cherry pit core. It’s weighty and worth a moment to decant to unlock all its facets. Excellent for the price. Drink now–2028 Pepperjack Scotch Fillet Grade Shiraz Shiraz 2022 G 91 Prune plums, Christmas cherries and cola oak. Assertive acidity and fine mealy tannins. The wine is equally fruit focused as it is richly compact with its glossy oak notes. A clove and cinnamon dust on the finish. It’s hard to deny those tannins wouldn’t complement a good hearty Scotch fillet, even better if someone else is cooking. Drink now–2028
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The Vintage Journal – Regional Focus
South Australia 2024
283
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