Clarendon Hills Domaine Clarendon Grenache 2021 is an old vine Grenache from Blewitt Springs, McLaren Vale, made from declassified fruit from Clarendon Hills’ three single site Grenache vineyards. An abundance of fresh cut flowers — lavender, rose and violet — leads the nose, with cherry, cranberry, blood orange and raspberry on a flowing palate of bright acidity and fine talcum tannin. The 2021 vintage reflects a cooler, more generous season after three consecutive warm and dry years, producing wines of elegance and aromatic lift.
Nose
Lavender, rose and violet with cherry, cranberry and blood orange. Fresh, floral and expressive.
Palate
Flowing and bright with raspberry, cherry and blood orange fruit. Fine talcum tannin, bright acidity and flavours at full expression. Elegant and charming with a medium finish.
Winemaking
Low yielding, dry grown bush vines from Blewitt Springs, hand-picked. Partial whole berry, wild yeast fermentation. All pressings returned to barrel. 18 months in 4–6 year old tightly grained French oak. Bottled without fining or filtration. Closure: DIAM.
Vineyard & Region
Blewitt Springs, McLaren Vale. 12km north-east of McLaren Vale town centre. Deep sandy soils over a mineral-rich subterranean layer of ironstone and quartz. Some of the oldest old vine Grenache plantations in the world. 6km proximity to the Great Southern Ocean contributes natural freshness and acidity.
Vintage Conditions
After three dry and warm-to-hot vintages in a row, 2021 brought heavy early season rain, a hot start that cooled in December, and no significant heat spikes. Cooler ripening weather and elevated yields produced wines of elegance and generous fruit.
Cellaring
Drink now to 2028. The wine is at full flavour expression in its relative infancy and does not require extended cellaring, though will reward 3–5 years in bottle.
