2020 Adelina Grenache, Clare Valley

This comes from a two-acre parcel of Adelina Estate vines, planted in 1942 on deep grey sandy loam on a clay base. It’s a plot known as the Springvale Block, or sometimes simply Block Two, and it’s just a stone’s throw away from the iconic Wendouree vineyard. Col McBryde knows his wines and he’s an unabashed fan of the legendary Château Rayas. Taking that lead, his aim here has always been to produce a Grenache of great finesse and perfume from these old Estate vines.

The fruit for the 2020 was picked on February 24th and was all destemmed (with plenty of whole berries). The wine then spent 20 days on skins before being pressed to large-format, neutral French oak for six months.

Bottled just as Adelina received their official organic paperwork, this is a superb Grenache from a grower who knows just how to eek the best out of this variety. Delicate, pure and alluring—these were the words that naturally came to mind as I sipped the 2020. This is, once again, such a unique expression in the context of Australian Grenache. It’s just so fine, so lucid and so digestible. The welcome antithesis to the Australian blockbuster, this is a Burgundy lover’s Grenache—an Australian Rayas. If you like finesse, prettiness and wines that sing of their birthplace, this is an unbelievable value.

"From a 1940s planted vineyard (Adelina's) which is certified organic. Fermented naturally in concrete then off to older, large format barrels to rest. Tension, fine grainy tannin, understated fruitiness but not without perfume and prettiness, a good savoury edge. Quite light. But that tannin? Almost an Italianate feel to the wine. Savouriness chimes in, dried herbs and some spice, a bit of rose hip tea and bergamot tang. It's a delight, and a serious but fine red wine."

94 points, Mike Bennie, The Wine Front