2022 Yangarra Ovitelli Grenache, McLaren Vale

From 1946-planted vines in Block 30, adjacent to the High Sands Block; destemmed, crushed and fermented in 675L ceramic eggs; pressed after about 150 days then returned to the eggs for a total of 14 months' maturation. Taut and sinewy, both a function of making and the year that was, this is a coiled spring of dried flowers, cranberry, raspberry leaf tea, cherry, pomegranate and dusty white pepper spicing. The pedigree of place, venerable vines, impeccable viticultural stewardship and fine-tuned making suggest this will have a long and exciting future, but it needs a few years to unlock all its mysteries. As it stands, it is a thrilling bottle, if a little stern at present. I have a feeling the score may tick up with time. Drink to 2035.

96 points Marcus Ellis for Halliday Wine Companion, May 2024

The 2022 Ovitelli Grenache is a wine of unexpected twists and turns ... on one hand, it aromatically offers amaro bitters and nuances of tequila sunrise (without the tequila, or perhaps it is anejo or mezcal), bitter orange and cranberry. There's a distinct biscuit character to note: Biscoff or malt. In the mouth, the wine is lean and spicy, layered with exotic herbs, graphite tannins and inflections of wet concrete and petrichor. The fruit on the mid-palate rises above its élevage and time on skins and envelopes us in raspberry and blood orange, which quickly sinks beneath a tide of clove buds and star anise and cardamom. It was handpicked from Block 20, adjacent to the High Sands block, destemmed and pressed to ceramic eggs for 150 days on skins. No pressings were utilized in the final blend. No oak was used at any stage; instead, the wine spent a total of 14 months in ceramic egg. Drink to 2037.

95 points Erin Larkin for The Wine Advocate, September 2024

Deep, bright red-purple colour with a dry-spice bouquet, featuring clovers, pepper, clean leather and terracotta, the style being intensely savoury and drying at the finish, thanks to emphatic tannins. A distinctive style of full-bodied grenache, and very good. Drink to 2039.

95 points Huon Hooke for The Real Review, August 2024

This is sourced from a vineyard alongside the High Sands Block and planted in 1946. It’s a bright medium bodied wine exuding so much life and energy. Interestingly no oak has been used and the wine fermented and matured only in ceramic eggs. It’s an elegant style of great purity and power. A fine minerally acidity will ensure cellaring potential. Drink to 2039.

95 points Ray Jordan for Wine Pilot, June 2024

Vibrant ruby and bright purple tones shine in the glass. Raspberry, dried clay and anise spice aromatics. Palate sings with red fruits, Turkish Delight and a mélange of North African spices. Tannins are fine and sandy but have great persistence and power so the whole palate is carried to a prodigiously long finish. There’s so much to discover here that you’ll want to sit in quiet introspection when drinking it. Drink to 2039.

95 points Stuart Knox for The Real Review, January 2024