2001 Clarendon Hills Grenache Old Vines Romas

Community Tasting Notes (76) Avg Score: 90.8 points

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  4/9/2024 - shutto1992@gmail.com Likes this wine: 96 Points

  This is excellent. Did not enjoy this wine until it was 20 years old. I believe the key to enjoying Aussie shiraz or grenache is to let it age to at least 20 years. Even the low end Torbreck Woodcutter turned a major corner at 20 years.

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  1/27/2024 - Joelene wrote: 91 Points

  Still lots of fruit, new world style.

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  1/21/2024 - Juliansi Likes this wine: 93 Points

  Proud to be able to share this one and only bottle from my cellar with our usual suspects (DQ, WMK, JY, LF, LMC, SKT, MV), this comes from Grenache vines which are 80-100 years old!
  
  Medium darkness garnet in color, with a light 2-3 mm rim. Nose of ripe cherries, light pepper and hints of gravel as well. Clearly, this has been a big beast all its life, but at this stage of over 20 years... Whilst it still comes across as full-bodied and concentrated, it also exhibits such fine tannins and roundness as well as balance.
  
  I love that the acidity is still M to M+, with such an amazing complex palate of fruit of dark-berries, with secondaries such as leather too. Cellaring time? This could last at least another decade, but is in a stunning place now. Alas.. I can't imagine I may ever have the same wine again!
  
  McLaren Vale is located south of Adelaide, or 110 km south of the Barossa Valley - I hope to visit one day too, having enjoyed Barossa Valley and Adelaide Hills so much in 2023.
  
  In 1990, Roman Bratasiuk founded Clarendon Hills winery in Clarendon, 40 kilometres (25 mi) south of Adelaide, which is in the McLaren Vale Wine Region in South Australia. It was selected because of the significant number of old (aged 50 to 90 years) vineyards nearby.
  
  The township of Clarendon was established in 1880 by European migrants, who brought with them original French vine cuttings. Grenache, Syrah Merlot, Mourvedre, and Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards are sourced by Clarendon Hills within the Clarendon, Blewitt Springs and Kangarilla districts.
  
  Bratasiuk exclusively produces single-vineyard wines, which was unusual when he started in 1990!
  
  Clarendon Hills produces eight Syrah, six Grenache, three Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as one Merlot and Mourvedre wine. All single vineyard, single varietal wines are produced from low yielding, dry-grown old vines which are hand pruned and hand-picked. They are all aged in French oak barriques.
  
  The Clarendon Hills Romas Old Vine Grenache comes from the oldest and rockiest section of the Blewitt Springs vineyard.
  
  A small parcel was first planted in 1920 and the majority of the lowermost rows planted in the 1940’s. Its very special indeed, and described as possibly the best terroir in Blewitt Springs, McLaren Vale.
  
  The wine is always hand picked with specific rows selected from the start, then wild yeast fermented and macerated for an extended period of approximately 5 weeks. Before being carefully carefully pressed into a matrix of generally mature 3-6 year old barriques for 18 months.
  
  My bottle shared at DQ's "Patio-warming" party, thanks a lot for having us over bro. The theme was.. Wines to pre-usher in Year of the Dragon, Big or Elegant, Young or Vintaged, and Classic or Rare. I think this wine met all 3 of those criteria!
  
  21st Jan 2024
  DQ's home, Malaysia

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  1/16/2024 - jmcmchi Likes this wine: 93 Points

  Decanted two-three hours, served cool
  
  Superb
  
  Bright crimson: blind I would have said 2014. Smallest 75cl bottle in a long time, so easy to drink, needed another two glasses atleast:)
  
  Acidity and red fruit, darker spice than expected, beautiful balance

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  1/21/2023 - mattym19 Likes this wine: 93 Points

  Someone on Cellartracker described the Kangarilla as having “authority” and I think that is the perfect description for this wine too. Right from the get-go the nose was powerful, smoky and sweet with pure cherry and charred oak but in a really great way, not a cheap flabby way like so many other new-world Grenache. Super compelling. Palate is candied cherry, slight notes of hot rocks, lifted, so fresh even after 20+ years. Great acidity, strong but smooth tannins, long finish. Slight cocoa bitterness on the finish but it adds to rather than detracts from the experience. This is a great wine in a great spot right now.
  
  Update: after a night in the fridge, the 1.5 glasses left in the bottle were really falling apart. Unbalanced, cognac-y notes. Definitely drink it if you’ve got it!

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