John Duval Annexus Grenache 2017

John Duval is one of the few winemakers in history to be given the keys to Penfolds Grange, with the country’s greatest wine icon trusted to his experienced hands. But Duval has moved on since then, working across the world as an expert on Shiraz, and other grape varieties of the Rhone Valley, thankfully including Grenache. There are only 250 cases of Grenache from John Duval in the 2017 vintage but it is an exquisite wine that you might want to track down.

The wine is bright mid cherry red in colour and, like the best Grenache, does not jump out of the glass – it’s very reserved and understated, teasing the taster deeper into its trance. At first it shows dark cherry fruit which is joined by spice, baked earth and aged meat complexity with integrated oak. Dry, and only mid-weight but incredibly vibrant, the palate is savoury and earthy with supple tannins and a long and very youthful finish. Almost Pinot Noir-like in its silky style, this has so much class and will age well, if you can keep your hands off it.

Get the whole range of John Duval wines here.