Clandestine Vineyards ‘Hearts and Minds’ Grenache 2021
- 93
- $60
- Drink by: 2022-2032
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The cracking Aussie Grenache parade continues. This offering is from a single vineyard planted with bush vines in 1950, in the Blewitt Springs sub-region of McLaren Vale. The region’s ubiquitous winemaking wizard, Ben Riggs, has worked his magic again. Handpicked to open fermenters with ten days skin contact, this is hand plunged and then pressed largely to a mix of French oak – 15% new and 85% older – the wine then spends another ten months in that same oak undergoing maturation. There is no fining nor filtration before bottling. 3,000 bottles.
A pale purple, this needed time in the glass to open up at this very early stage. When it did, lovely perfumes of strawberries, florals and an array of red fruits emerged. Supple and seamless, such a seductive texture, there are some serious tannins here too but handled so well that they are near invisible. Good acidity runs the length of this impressive wine. It will handle five to ten years in the cellar without blinking. Another cracking McLaren Vale Grenache indeed.
Ken was born and bred in Brisbane, Queensland. He had a non-trendy, perfectly happy childhood, in a family convinced alcohol meant instant condemnation to Hades. But a break fishing on the Great Barrier Reef, and some good wine, started a serious obsession that eventually took over. It did not stop Ken being chastised later for drinking Pol champagne, disgusted he’d drink anything made by a Cambodian dictator. Now, Ken mostly writes on wine, champagne and spirits for various newspapers, magazines and books, but is perhaps best known for his work in The Courier Mail. He also has a little sideline writing on cigars, fishing, travel and food. When not writing, fly-fishing for trout in NZ or bonefish on the flats of Cuba, travelling or smoking cigars, he is no doubt following a variety of sporting teams – the occasionally glorious Queensland Reds rugby, the dysfunctional Washington Redskins, the dodgy Arsenal and especially revels in the world restored to its proper axis with the return of the Ashes to their rightful home.
