Purple Hands Old Vine Barossa Grenache 2020

Sourced from a range of vineyards from across the Barossa, including the Zerk Vineyards at Lyndoch, which were planted in 1890 and also 1961. The section from 1961 is around 250m above sea level, with a northerly aspect and soil consisting of deep red clay with bands of ironstone and shale. It is on its own rootstocks. The 1890 section is around 260m above sea level, a Southerly aspect, and soil consisting of deep sand over clay. Again, on own rootstocks. The remainder is from the Annandale Vineyard at Williamstown, at the south end of the Valley, planted in 1971. It sits around 310m above sea level and the soil consists of slate sandy loam and creek stones. 25-30% whole clusters were added to the open fermenters, the remainder of the grapes crushed on top, with header boards placed on top on the second day of the ferment, with both indigenous and cultured yeasts. Pump overs performed twice daily, but not at all in the latter stages of the ferment, before being transferred to old puncheons. 

Attractive pale reds. This is fresh and spicy with hints to suggest it will become more savoury in time. Warm earth, barbecued meats, red cherries and a hint of cinnamon before a palate that is supple and seamless. There are fine, but slightly gritty tannins and a flick of acidity underneath with very good length. Anyone looking for a mid-weight, fresh red with elegance and length, this represents cracking value.

While I was doing the tasting of these reds from Purple Hands, I had a big saucepan of tripe happily cooking away on the stove and I kept thinking that I could not wait until that evening so I could enjoy a glass of this wine with the tripe. As it turned out, they could not have made a better match!