2017 Cirillo Estate 1850 Ancestor Vine Grenache, Barossa Valley

This 2017 old vine Grenache 1850 Ancestor Vine is a little shy at first but then shows breathtaking purity of dark cherry and musky plum with some more exotic cinnamon stick and red licorice hints. The 2017 is beautifully textured and weighted, and despite quite serious underlying power, it remains light on its feet. The excellent vibrancy of fruit is on show and slowly builds layer upon layer of savory roasted meat complexity. Strong ironstone adds backbone to a delightfully perfumed finish. It's a world beater with killer length and the best 1850 yet from Cirillo.

The small Cirillo Estate, run by winemaker Marco Cirillo and his wife Annika Lehmann, was one of the first modern wineries in Barossa to truly focus on Grenache. In the 1970s, the Cirillo family purchased their Light Pass vineyard, planted in 1848 with Grenache and Sémillon. The vineyard survived the relatively recent decimation of Barossa Grenache stocks, no doubt in part due to its exceptional location on sandy soils, proving to be the best suited to Grenache in Barossa. After selling their fruit to wineries such as Rockford and Torbreck for decades, Marco Cirillo took over, and the estate was born. Today it remains home to unique Barossan expressions and excellent value, particularly among the entry-level wines.

98 points Angus Hughson vinous.com

The vineyard that is the source for this wine was planted in 1848 and endures today. The vines are bush vines, but some of the vines have single stakes here and there to support the old wood. It's a special place. 2017 was cold and wet in the Barossa and high cropping across the region. This was a challenging combination for many producers; however winemaker Marco Cirillo openly prefers these vintages, and that can only be down to the fact that these old vines are largely self regulating with their yields and growth. So, this 2017 Ancestor Vines 1850 Grenache flows in the mouth with red berries, finely crushed rocks for tannins, tobacco and pepper berry, pastrami, pink peppercorns, raspberry seed and caper brine. It has a lovely flavor arc in the mouth, supple. It is clear, pure, sensational. I love the tannins. It's sapid and palate staining but so light! The wine was matured in a combination of tank and barrel. (Twenty percent of the wine was matured in old wood for just seven months). It then spent five years in tank prior to bottling. 14% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. Drink 2023 – 2037.

96 points Erin Larkin robertparker.com

A cooler year that Cirillo enthuses makes for a bit of gristle, this is exceptional. Six-years in tank before release, this full-weighted wine riffs on redder fruits, rather than dark. Raspberry bon-bon, red pastille, rose petal, bergamot and a slake of tannins clad in licorice root and tea tree. Yet there is nothing drying about it as it revels with air, growing more pixelated of tannins, fresher and even more aromatic. Wonderful length. Compelling freshness. This will make fine old bones. Drink or hold.

96 points Ned Goodwin MW jamessuckling.com

Out on the sandy soils of Vine Vale, Cirillo Estate guards one of the Barossa’s true treasures, Grenache vines planted in 1850, among the oldest continually producing vines on the planet. Marco Cirillo is the current custodian, carrying forward a family story that stretches back generations, with a focus on preserving these ancient, dry grown vines and letting them speak with as little interference as possible.

These old bush vines sit deep in the sands, naturally low yielding and remarkably resilient, producing fruit with concentration and a kind of quiet intensity that younger vineyards simply cannot replicate. Despite the Barossa setting, this part of Vine Vale leans toward a more lifted, aromatic style, where finesse and detail take precedence over weight.

There is a gentle translucency to the colour, a soft crimson rather than anything inky. The aromatics are captivating from the outset, wild raspberry, red cherry and strawberry layered with dried rose petal, spice and a subtle earthy warmth. There is a purity here that feels almost effortless.

The palate is where the magic of these old vines really shows. Silky, seamless and beautifully poised, with red fruits gliding across fine, almost powdery tannins. There is an underlying savoury thread, hints of spice, dried herbs and a whisper of earth, all held together by a natural freshness that keeps the wine light on its feet. It carries remarkable length without ever feeling heavy.

This is Grenache that shines with thoughtful, flavour driven food. Slow roasted lamb with Middle Eastern spices, grilled quail, or a dish built around eggplant, pomegranate and herbs all work beautifully. It also pairs effortlessly with charred vegetables and dishes that bring both sweetness and spice.

While it is already incredibly expressive, it will evolve gracefully over ten to fifteen years, gaining further savoury complexity while retaining its core elegance.

There is something quite special here, a direct link to the Barossa’s earliest days, captured in a wine that feels both delicate and deeply rooted in history. One to savour slowly.