Château Tanunda 150 Year Old Vine Grenache 2024
- 94
- $280
- Drink by: 2026-2042
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I don’t think you can – or should – drink this wine without thinking about the fact that 150 years ago, someone planted these Grenache vines, and now, generations later, we’re still drinking wine from them. For the younger drinker: Sometime around 1870 most of the world’s vines were lost. It’s a long story, but the part I want you to understand is that you should feel proud to drink this wine. It smells of boysenberry, raspberry purée and old literature. Savoury, but with the essence of tart fruit. It makes me want to know more about cigars, and smoke one while reading Harry Potter. First edition, of course. I should note that I had the pleasure of drinking this over days, and it needed that oxygen, so decant it before drinking. In the mouth, the fruit is tarter than expected, with cranberry, umeshu plum, cinnamon and cardamom. It’s joyous and youthful, yet wise beyond its years. And don’t get confused: this is a rich style of Grenache, with plenty of poached black fruit and dusty oak beneath the prettiness. The acidity frames the wine, the tannins are ripe and firm, and the oak remains dusty.I would love to see it again in exactly seven years. Drink with red meat. Think about how wine can transport you through time, and then go to bed.
A hopeless romantic for wine and food, Cyndal is nearing 15 years in hospitality while still (just) under 30. A Chef-turned-Sommelier and award-winning wine professional, Cyndal recently left a Group Sommelier role where she curated seven wine lists across multiple venues and led the wine team to Gourmet Traveller Wine Bar of the Year—just months after opening. Now freelance, Cyndal is a wine consultant, event host, wine judge, and wine writer. Passionate about sharing wine’s story with the world, she brings a fresh voice and creative solutions to the industry. After studying and traveling through most of her 20s, she’s now based in WA’s southwest, proudly embracing her role as a WA coastal cowgirl.
