2023 Pikes The Assemblage Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre, Clare Valley

Pikes The Assemblage Grenache Shiraz Mourvèdre from the Clare Valley is a wonderfully expressive and beautifully balanced GSM that shows just how much finesse this Riesling-famous region can deliver with reds. The fruit comes from estate and grower vineyards across Polish Hill River and Watervale, where slate, clay loams and pockets of limestone give Grenache perfume and lift, Shiraz richness and spice, and Mourvèdre its savoury backbone. Warm days, cool evenings and the Clare’s famously dry, breezy conditions create fruit of bright colour, supple tannin and natural vibrancy. Pikes makes this wine with a deliberately gentle touch, aiming for harmony and drinkability rather than sheer weight.

Aromatically it’s inviting and layered, opening with raspberry, red cherry and wild strawberry from Grenache, followed by blackberry, plum and sweet spice from Shiraz. Mourvèdre adds earthy complexity with hints of dried herbs, leather, cocoa and warm stone. With time in the glass, subtle notes of rose petal, anise, pepper, pomegranate and soft vanilla thread themselves through the bouquet, giving the wine both brightness and savoury detail.

The palate is smooth, juicy and wonderfully proportioned. Red and dark berry fruit glide across supple, fine grained tannins, supported by lively acidity that keeps everything fresh. Grenache brings generosity and lift, Shiraz adds mid palate flesh, and Mourvèdre provides structure, a cool mineral line and a gentle rustic charm. Flavours of cherry, raspberry compote, mulberry, pepper, spice and dried herbs unfold slowly, finishing long, mouthwatering and lightly savoury. It’s delicious now but will gain complexity over five to eight years.

This is a natural fit for Mediterranean and comfort foods: grilled lamb cutlets with rosemary, chargrilled sausages, slow cooked beef with paprika, mushroom pizza, ratatouille, charred vegetables, roast chicken, hard cheeses or pasta with herbs and tomato. Serve just below room temperature and it becomes even more aromatic.