2023 Adelina Estate Grenache, Clare Valley

From the organically grown (certified) home vineyard. Matured in concrete and cement-terracotta vessels. This sits beautifully at medium weight, cinched with ultrafine, graphite-laced tannins, very slim-line and succulent with red cherry and tart raspberry characters, with a fine dusting of dried herb and white pepper, faint game meat notes, a lemon myrtle kind of lift, touches of alpine herbs, too. The texture is beautiful, otherworldly almost, the wine delivering levity and finesse for the variety. And, importantly, so damn delicious.

96 points Special Value Mike Bennie winecompanion.com.au

Col McBride knows his wines and he’s an unabashed fan of the legendary Château Rayas. His aim here has been to produce a Grenache of great finesse and perfume from his old, Estate vines. To be specific, this comes from a two-acre parcel of Adelina’s vines, planted in 1942 on desiccated grey loams. It’s a plot known as the Springvale Block, or sometimes simply Block Two, and it’s is just a stone’s throw away from the iconic Wendouree vineyard.

The Adelina Estate Grenache from Clare Valley is a striking expression of old-vine Grenache made with minimal intervention and maximum soul. Sourced from vines planted in 1940 within Adelina’s tiny estate vineyard in the Spring Farm sub-region, this wine is the real deal: dry-grown, organically farmed, and coaxed into bottle by the talented duo Col McBryde and Jennie Gardner, who are known for their thoughtful, terroir-first approach to winemaking.

Set just south of the famed Wendouree vineyard, Adelina's site is a mix of ancient terra rossa over limestone, giving their Grenache a firm mineral spine to complement its plush fruit profile. The wine is fermented with wild yeast, sees partial whole bunch inclusion for complexity and lift, and is aged in old oak to avoid masking the character of the fruit.

In the glass, it opens with a beguiling perfume of wild strawberries, pomegranate, rose petal, and dried herbs. There’s a whisper of spice and graphite, too, all wrapped in a silky, medium-bodied frame. What’s special here is the balance between ethereal lightness and structural integrity. It's not a blockbuster Grenache — it’s more about elegance, finesse, and purity, speaking to both site and sensitive handling.

The tannins are fine and savoury, the acidity is juicy and bright, and the finish lingers with red fruit and dusty earth. It’s a Grenache that feels more like Pinot Noir in texture, but with that unmistakable Clare Valley sun-soaked energy.

Perfect with chargrilled quail, roasted beetroot and goat cheese salad, or mushroom and rosemary pizza. It also plays well with North African spices like harissa or za’atar. While drinking beautifully now, this will also cellar for 6 to 8 years as it gains even more complexity.