I jumped the gun with my original International Grenache Day post a few weeks back, so here is another super wine on the actual Grenache Day. This Yangarra Ovitelli Grenache 2020 is right up there too.
Sourced from a block planted in 1946, the fruit is fully destemmed and spends 180 days on skins in 675L concrete eggs.
What a lovely, lucid, red fruit laden, yet structured, Grenache it is too. There is this interplay between tannic picker and glacé raspberry that is a delight, even if the tannins hit like a wall. Formidable Grenache. In fact, the only question is whether it’s a more perfect wine than the Clarendon Grenache? This wine is more intellectual, that wine nor seductive. Both are bloody great. Interestingly, I don’t see the compactness and the drying finish that marks some 2020 McLaren Vale reds.
Oh, and you want more Grenache views? Just click the Grenache tag here.
Best drinking: good now, good in five years, good in ten. I like these younger though tbh. Just go now, you won’t regret it. 18.7/20, 95/100. 14.5%, $75. Yangarra website. Would I buy it? Sure would.
6 Comments
Hi Andrew
I am a huge fan of Yangarra – everything they make is wonderful. Their biodynamic regenerative farming practices make them even more attractive. Next week I will receive a couple of 2020 Ovitelli Grenaches as part of my regular consignment, so I’m looking forward to testing your assessment.
I recently celebrated my 70th birthday, and enjoyed some delightful wines in the process, including a 1999 Eileen Hardy Shiraz, a 2012 Wendouree Cab Sav, a Rockford’s Black Shiraz, and a 2018 Yangarra Kings Wood Shiraz. I just wanted to let you know that the red drinkers amongst us were agreed that the stand-out wine was the Yangarra Cadenzia 2010 (a GSM). It’s a shame Yangarra don’t make a GSM any more. In fact my introduction to Yangarra was through a glass of GSM I bought at the Pullman Hotel in Homebush, Sydney, about 10 years ago.
I love reading your regular unvarnished commentaries. Please keep it up. I will get off my arse and make a donation shortly.
Peter Sharpe
I loved that GSM too. Yangarra have the ‘red’ now, but it’s a fruit salad wine. Not the same.
Also, thanks for very kind words Peter – unvarnished and proudly direct is my aim.
They still make a straight GSM it looks like? Saw it at Dan’s yesterday https://www.danmurphys.com.au/product/DM_32985/yangarra-grenache-shiraz-mourverde?isFromSearch=true&isPersonalised=false
Probably not the “best” grapes per se (ie not an ovitelli/king’s word blend) but definitely looks different to the Noir
Nice. $38 at cellar door from what I can see as well.
I spoke to the folks at Yangarra and they said they make the GSM exclusively for Dan’s, but will happily sell it online if requested. It’s quite drinkable, but not top shelf – nothing like the 20120 Cadenzia anyway. As a Dan Murphy exclusive, I suspect its more about cash flow. Fine by me, but bring back the Cadenzia!
Cheers
Peter Sharpe
Thanks for doing the research Peter.