Arila Gardens Sand Garden Grenache 2019

For International Grenache Day I was lucky enough to taste my way through a couple of cases of Barossa Grenache, which again showcased the immense potential of this combination. And this was one of the best wines of the day from a small plot of Moppa vines planted back in 1900. What made it standout was beautifully bright and vibrant fruits that immediately captured your attention combined with deadly serious balance and structure – it’s a super wine.

Bright medium cherry red, there is gently fragrant raspberry and red cherry fruits to start with a dusting of charcuterie and old oak. That sweet fruit is then repeated on the palate, now in the jubey and fruit pastille zone, before more savoury elements come into play in the form of baked earth, roasted meat and spice. There is also good support thanks to sandy tannins which then underpin a very long and silky finish. There is a lovely energy to this wine too which make it so drinkable now but also is a very good sign for what is likely to come over the next five to ten years.

Angus Hughson

Founder at Winepilot

Angus is an award-winning wine writer and the Founder and Publisher of Winepilot, the Australian Editor for leading international publication VINOUS with Antonio Galloni based in New York City and the Co-Publisher of The Australian Ark with over 15 years of publishing, writing and judging experience.

Critic and publisher