Cirillo 1850 Ancestor Vine Grenache 2014

It is interesting to see how the different vintages change the character of this Ancestor Vine grenache. While the 2013 was quite fleshy and open for business with red berry fruits, this vintage is more tight and closed, a darker year with darker fruits that is keeping its cards very close to its chest. It took a couple of days to open up and showcase what the future holds.

Mid cherry in colour, it delivers a core of earthy blackberry fruits and brooding red liquorice. Behind there is bottle aged complexity with white pepper, roasted meat, Bay leaf, cedar and soy sauce aromatics. On the palate things get more serious – delivering vitality despite its seven years of age when most Australian grenache is well and truly over the hill. A deep set core of dark fruit has retained its youthful shape, line and structure, not yet starting to flesh out suggesting a strong future ahead. The wine is also quite firm and meaty for grenache – almost chewy, with a long and strong finish. It will be fascinating to see where this goes over the next decade or two.