Oliver’s Taranga Vineyards RW Grenache 2023

A bottle of McLaren Vale Grenache is unquestionably one of the most in-demand Aussie reds. And with good reason. This is bottle number 05934 of Oliver’s Reserve Grenache, named after the winemaker’s great-grandfather RW (Robert William) Oliver and produced from the oldest bush vines on the property. The nose is dense with forest spice, a tangle of wild berries, deep and brooding in the undergrowth, but here they shine bright in McLaren Vale sunshine. There’s a savoury element at play here, too, taking this into the serious Grenache category. Cured meat, barberry, dusty cocoa nib and baked red dirt complete the picture with the subtlest dusting of vanilla sweetness. The medium-bodied palate is tense and tightly wound with chalky tannins, brambles and cherries, and a subtle sweet smokiness poking through the spice mix. Vibrant and long-limbed acid draws through, keeping this spritely in its youth and age-worthy if put down to rest. Fantastic length, lots of complexity and intrigue that continues to unfurl in the glass. Give this time, and there’s plenty more to come.