2020 Schwarz Wine Co Meta Grenache, Barossa Valley

Schwarz Wine Co is the creation of Barossa winemaker Jason Schwarz, who has spent decades seeking out exceptional old-vine parcels across the valley and working with growers who know their vineyards intimately. Meta sits at the more playful end of the Schwarz collection, taking Barossa Grenache away from sheer ripeness and towards perfume, juicy fruit and savoury drinkability. It’s Grenache with its collar undone.

The Barossa’s old Grenache vines are particularly well adapted to the region’s warm, dry conditions, with deep roots and naturally modest yields delivering plenty of flavour. The 2020 vintage was dry and very low yielding, producing concentrated fruit from a tiny crop. Sensitive extraction keeps that intensity in check, allowing Grenache’s fragrance, spice and supple texture to lead.

Bright ruby with a translucent garnet edge, the nose opens with raspberry, Morello cherry and red plum before rose petal, blood orange and dried herbs appear. With air come hints of liquorice, fennel seed, pink peppercorn and warm earth. The palate is juicy and supple, with ripe red fruit carried by fresh acidity and gently sandy tannins. Cherry, orange peel and sweet spice roll through the middle before a savoury finish of herbs and liquorice.

Give this lamb kofta with smoky eggplant and tahini, char siu pork, Moroccan chicken with preserved lemon, merguez with couscous or a spicy nduja and roasted capsicum pizza. Our pick is the char siu — sticky pork, five spice and caramelised edges against Grenache’s raspberry and savoury spice could make table manners increasingly theoretical.

Cellaring: Drink now to 2031.