S.C. Pannell Diavola Nero d’Avola 2023
G 95
Steeped hibiscus, shiso mint, boysenberry swirls. A subtle hint of Maynard’s blackcurrant wine gums with grated liquorice root and ginger hanging out in the backseat. Oolong tea tannins that gravitate to the side of the palate with lingering acidity. This is hold-your-breath good Nero (a bit like that moment when Neo stops the bullets in The Matrix ). It’s seductive in its fruit plushness but with a mighty nervous system of texture. Totally beguiling, there is no spoon. Drink now–2026 S.C. Pannell Merrivale Shiraz 2021 G 95 A heady wine with elevated intensity of blackcurrants, juniper and olive tapenade. Assam tea leaf, dried pine needle and wood ear mushroom. It’s stonkingly youthful for its age and only just beginning to hit its stride. Red cherries and mulberry open on the palate and a touch of coconut cream pie surprises. It’s a bit of an enigma this wine, unique for its boldness and supple palate. Tannins are powdery and acidity drives the wine but doesn’t shrill. This is all about site and the character of the block. If you haven’t tasted it, you should; you won’t forget it easily. Drink now–2030 S.C. Pannell Little Branch Grenache Grenache 2022 G 95 The first single vineyard release from the estate-owned 9-ha site in Blewitt Springs. Vine age is 30 years old. Attention here is key because the fragrance of this wine is ethereal and delicate. Almost like the bouquet you get from a tea rose right before you bring it to your face. Lingonberry compote, cranberry and blush nectarines. Powdered sumac and strawberry icing. Tannins are a filigree of interwoven silk and acidity hums along. Fine, lithe and linear. One to watch. Drink now–2030 Thistledown Wines Distant Light Grenache Shiraz 2022 G 95 A harmonious blend of McLaren Vale’s Blewitt Springs and Clarendon Grenache, and Shiraz from Barossa’s Ebenezer and Mengler Hill. A reminder of why these two varieties sit so well together. Raspberries, fig hearts and mulberries meet a Moroccan souk spice house. Woodsy herbs intertwine with rosemary and bay leaf. Succulent with Grenache’s elevated acidity and a delightfully plump middle palate density. Tannins are woven into the wine and you’re left with a sultry smooth drink. Unhindered by new oak, this wine is heavenly in its purity and form. Drink now–2034 Varney Wines Limited Release Grenache 2023 G 95 Old bush vine stock 70-plus-year vine age. Sourced from Blewitt Springs, Seaview and Whites Valley. Matured for eight months in seasoned French oak. A mauve garden of lilac and lavender. Fresh picked mulberry and lingonberry. Dried autumn leaves and cassia bark. A crunch from fresh acidity gives way to a torrent of powdery fine tannins; these spread out across your palate like a fernery. It’s agile, but the staying power of those tannins makes for a long, extended palate. Gala apple skin and a touch of clove. The love of Grenache is felt right here in the glass. Blissful. Drink now–2030
South Australia 2024
267
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