MMAD Grenache Blewitt Springs McLaren Vale – 2021

2021 was a perfect growing season in the McLaren Vale! This 100% Grenache comes from vines planted in 1939.

It has an intense core of red and blue fruit flavours, with impressive purity and density, but also an elegance and lightness that belie the energy and power of the fruit. Raspberry coulis, red cherry and pomegranate flavours combine with notes of spice and dried herbs. The tannins are gentle, fine and silky smooth. This would pair nicely with a Porchetta or Asian braised beef. 14% alcohol.

Approximately 800 cases were produced. Drink now – 2035

Awarded 97/100pts by James Halliday and 94/100pts by Wine Advocate: “a supreme first release.”

The old Grenache vines of the Blewitt Springs subzone of McLaren Vale, a little south of Adelaide, are an important part of Australia’s viticultural history, and are increasingly renowned for producing Australia’s finest Grenache wines.

In early 2021, the MMAD Vineyard was purchased by a quartet of winemakers, including Masters of Wine Michael Hill Smith and David LeMire. MMAD takes its name from their first initials. The vineyard was planted with 100% Grenache in 1939 on the fine sandy soils typical of Blewitt Springs, and is exposed to the fresh sea breezes from the Southern Indian Ocean to the southwest. Below the sand is a layer of ironstone pebbles, and this combination of sand, ironstone, and cooling winds gives beautiful perfume and structure to the wines.

To counter the extreme dryness of this part of the world, the vineyard soils are regularly mulched to retain moisture, and legumes grow between the vine rows, which enhance soil life and organic matter when ploughed back into the soils. The grapes need to be picked at the optimum moment, when they have good acid levels and fresh perfume, and enough mid palate flesh without the wine becoming heavy.

This Grenache was vinified very gently, a little like a Pinot noir. The grapes were mostly destemmed, then the whole berries were fermented in open top concrete fermentation tanks, followed by maturation in old 500 litre puncheons. The resulting wine aims to reflect this unique terroir in the most natural way possible.