It is not easy to make a pure grenache without turning it into a fruit bomb or an alcohol factory and John Duval has created a wonderfully sensuous wine with subtlety and depth, an outstanding achievement.
Lovely clean fruits, one gets the usual grenache flavour profiles including the spice but for a hot region, this wine was soft and elegant with such freshness that simply leaves you wanting for more. The tannin was fine and soft, and the oak never appeared. What was a standout was simply the depth of flavours and the structure supporting the wine. A medium body wine so match your food carefully.
Drink now or 5+ years.
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Australia/New Zealand night (Chicago, IL): I stuck my nose in this and immediately exclaimed "strawberry juice"! Yes, the red fruit here is that clear, though this seemed to get darker (no, that's not some kind of emo joke) as the evening went on. A touch of white pepper on the nose as well. And although the nose seems to veer towards sweeter red fruit, the palate is much more black-fruited and spicier than the nose would indicate. Good acidity here as well to balance the sweeter elements. Although this is a fairly big wine, it's restrained and not a vanilla-scented oak monster, and while I generally prefer wines with a smaller stature, I could definitely see myself grabbing a glass of this with some barbecue sometime.
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Negociants Australia Portfolio Tasting: 250 cases made. Tobacco, plum and smoke. Palate has good drive and the fruit is powerful without being over-done - it is ripe but held back enough to not feel full-throttle.
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Savoury nose, raspberries Firm and floral on the palate Some caramel bu largely savoury, clean fresh fruit Very long £44 so not cheap but it's a serious wine
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7/12/2022 - tanduybui Likes this wine: 92 Points
It is not easy to make a pure grenache without turning it into a fruit bomb or an alcohol factory and John Duval has created a wonderfully sensuous wine with subtlety and depth, an outstanding achievement.
Lovely clean fruits, one gets the usual grenache flavour profiles including the spice but for a hot region, this wine was soft and elegant with such freshness that simply leaves you wanting for more. The tannin was fine and soft, and the oak never appeared. What was a standout was simply the depth of flavours and the structure supporting the wine. A medium body wine so match your food carefully.
Drink now or 5+ years.
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4/20/2017 - acyso wrote: 90 Points
Australia/New Zealand night (Chicago, IL): I stuck my nose in this and immediately exclaimed "strawberry juice"! Yes, the red fruit here is that clear, though this seemed to get darker (no, that's not some kind of emo joke) as the evening went on. A touch of white pepper on the nose as well. And although the nose seems to veer towards sweeter red fruit, the palate is much more black-fruited and spicier than the nose would indicate. Good acidity here as well to balance the sweeter elements. Although this is a fairly big wine, it's restrained and not a vanilla-scented oak monster, and while I generally prefer wines with a smaller stature, I could definitely see myself grabbing a glass of this with some barbecue sometime.
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9/15/2015 - CamWheeler wrote: 91 Points
Negociants Australia Portfolio Tasting: 250 cases made. Tobacco, plum and smoke. Palate has good drive and the fruit is powerful without being over-done - it is ripe but held back enough to not feel full-throttle.
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9/13/2015 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:
Savoury nose, raspberries
Firm and floral on the palate
Some caramel bu largely savoury, clean fresh fruit
Very long
£44 so not cheap but it's a serious wine
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