2020 Watervale Gardeners ‘1954 Plantings’ Grenache

Original gardener Thomas Charles Hockridge was a stonemason, emigrating to South Australia in 1875. In 1885, Thomas built the trigonometric survey station on Mt Lofty – later named Flinders Column – before moving to the Watervale region and turning his hand to farming, taking up this very garden in 1898.

100% estate grown Grenache, Alc/vol 13.2% Total Acid 5.8g/L pH 3.39.Handpicked, 100% destemmed and fermented for in 1T flowerpot fermenters. Some components getting up to 30 days of skin maceration prior to spending 9 months in older 500L French oak puncheons.

Ruby red crimson in the glass, with tumbling up layers of cherry & red berry aromatics and velvety florals, over a herbal thyme like undertone. On the palate, raspberry and strawberry flavours bounce around nicely together, to a light…. crisp over very tidy and unashamedly middleweight tannin finish. You could also put this Grenache into the fridge for half an hour in the height of summer. ~ The Barry Brothers, Watervale Gardeners 

A supple and soft, rich and toasty grenache of dark cherry fruitiness, choc-raisin elements, cinnamon and clove spice, sweet, turned earth elements and some mint and pine needle freshness in the mix. It’s deeply concentrated and rich but finishes with freshness and lift. 95 Points. Mike Bennie, Wine Companion