What could be simpler? Six winemakers with their own take on fruit from one 45-year old vineyard in Light Pass, the region’s sandy soils making it one of the top areas for Grenache in the Barossa. The land is in some ways taken out of the equation with just the winemakers skill and personality on show, and there is plenty of both in this year’s releases.
Artisans of the Barossa Grenache Project 2020
By Jason Schwarz
Ken Gargett – 91 Points
As with all these wines from the Artisans, the grapes were picked on March 16 from the Merv John Vineyard at Light Pass in the Barossa. The winemakers then employed their own techniques, although these wines are certainly being released younger than one would think would be the case if normal procedures were in operation. Each of the wineries released around 480 bottles. This wine is crimson red. Nose full of soft raspberry notes. A pleasing plushness. Delicatessen meats, tobacco leaf and warm earth tones. Strawberries on the palate. Juicy acidity with the 100% whole bunch making less of an impression than one might have expected (that is not intended as a criticism, rather that it has worked very well). Moderate length here. This is fresh and delightful drinking as a youthful, fresh, fruity red. With time in the glass, this opened up to reveal the early stages of structure.
Angus Hughson – 93 Points
Starting off with the lightest and prettiest expression of the 2020 Grenache Project wines with this example from Jason Schwarz. There is lots to love about this wine with its fresh, breezy and approachable style although still laced with some serious complexity. There is strawberry and raspberry fruits topped by Chinese Five Spice. It’s then mid-weight and juicy – grenache’s friendly side very much on display which is also lifted by meaty, spicy layers which are underscored by fine drying tannins. A modern and delicious expression of Barossa Grenache well built for a platter of cheese and charcuterie.
Artisans of the Barossa Grenache Project 2020
By Peter Schell
Ken Gargett – 94 Points
Winemaker Peter Schell has put together one of the best of the series with this cracker. 50% whole clusters, and again, wonderfully well integrated into the wine. Burgundy colour – the burgundy of the jersey of the Washington Football Team. Cloves, spices, florals, dry herbs – more lifted aromas here. Early complexity starting to emerge. Fragrant. One could be forgiven for thinking this akin to a warmer climate Pinot Noir, though that lovely sweet core of red fruits and vibrant acidity give it a little more heft. Nicely balanced, good length – I like this a lot. Dry herbs and coffee bean notes really emerge as the palate lingers beautifully. Supple. Delicious.
Angus Hughson – 96 Points
A beautifully savoury and multi-layered expression of Grenache that still feels very youthful and as if it has plenty more to give over the next decade. It’s moreish from start to finish with brooding dark cherry, earth and spicy aromas plus a meaty edge thrown in too. The palate is dry, only mid weight and a little shy right now but the tail shows its serious class with layer after layer of complex fruit unfolding over a long and savoury finish. Al dente tannins and superb balance again underline the quality in this delicious and ageworthy expression of Barossa Grenache.
Artisans of the Barossa Grenache Project 2020
By Craig Stansborough and Mark Slade
Ken Gargett – 92 Points
From the Purple Hands team of Craig Stansborough and Mark Slade, this is a lovely example of what Grenache can do. Craig is well known for his extensive work with Grant Burge Wines (I’ll confess I am less well acquainted with Mark). This has a higher alcohol level – 15.2% – than most but you wouldn’t pick it. Cherry notes explode out of the glass. Milk chocolate, strawberries, frangipani florals. This is soft and plush and offers such enticing aromas. On the palate, slightly more chewy than some. Offers decent length. While the nose is very much from the ‘pretty’ end of the spectrum, the palate is more savoury. Finishes with some cold tea and salami notes. A very gentle hint of tannins at this early stage.
Angus Hughson – 93 Points
The Purple Hands signature is all over this big grenache style which reeks of its Barossan origins and is a very different style from the Schwarz and Schell wines. It has lashings of blackberry, liquorice and baked earth fruits plus some oak influence too. It goes on to deliver similarly bold fruit on a full-bodied and fleshy palate with fantastic power and depth of fruit plus a long, strong and supple finish. It’s big and is sure to be a serious crowd pleaser.
Artisans of the Barossa Grenache Project 2020
By Corey Ryan and Simon Cowham
Ken Gargett – 94 Points
The team at Sons of Eden has produced one of the stars of the range. Serious aromatics here – bright red fruits, blueberries, mulberries, cherries, spices. Love the nose. Move to the palate and we have a balanced, supple effort, clean and with the merest flick of silky tannins. It does seem that there is a slight whiff of oak plus excellent length here. Corey Ryan and Simon Cowham used 50% whole bunch, which has melded so well as to be near invisible, and they also left the wine for 19 days on skins in ‘George’, their egg-shaped fermenter. Who doesn’t love a fermenter called George?
Angus Hughson – 94 Points
From the Sons of Eden stable comes another impressive dry red that showcases the house style of big but detailed styles. Deeply coloured for grenache, it has bold and fleshy aromas – more dark than red fruits – black cherry and blackberry plus liqueur cherry with spice and tar adding plenty of interest. In the mouth it is dry with full-throttle fruits and a spicy lift thanks to some whole bunches in the ferment. It’s also long with supple but significant tannins suggesting it will be good for mid-term aging. Enjoy with slow-cooked lamb shanks.
Artisans of the Barossa Grenache Project 2020
By John and Tim Duval
Ken Gargett – 93 Points
Winemakers don’t come much more famous in Australia than John Duval (unless, of course, you are young and only recently got interested in this wine caper). For those latecomers, John was the man responsible for many of the great Granges, and a great many other truly magnificent Penfold’s wines. He started his own operation in 2003 and therefore we can assume he also had a hand in Penfold’s 2002 Cellar Reserve Grenache, which is a bit of a legend. John now works with son Tim. Deep purple. A little more restrained than some at this early stage. Mulberries, good vibrant acidity. Decent length. Supple texture and good persistence. A little firmer on the finish than some. Red fruits. Good concentration. The whole bunch is at 50% here and it is noticeable, though certainly not intrusive.
Angus Hughson – 94 Points
Another fine style of grenache and very different from many of the other wines showing the more elegant and understated side of this variety with beautiful purity and focus. It is not a wine that instantly shows its cards but grows on you with every glass. Red pastille and raspberry fruit aromas slowly emerge with subtle earthy tones and oak also in the background. The palate is pure velvet – with typical grenache fleshiness underscored by well integrated tannins leading to a long and supple, almost floral, finish. Great balance although this wine feels like it is still too young to drink and really needs another two to three years to start showing all it has to offer.
Artisans of the Barossa Grenache Project 2020
By Greg and Allison Hobbs
Ken Gargett – 92 Points
The final contribution to this year’s Grenache Project is surely the wine with the most weight and heft and as such, is likely to appeal to some as the wine of the series. From Allison and Greg Hobbs from ‘Hobbs of Barossa Ranges’, they have used 100% destemmed whole berries and seven days on skins. Later, five months in seasoned French oak demi-mud on light lees. Equal top alcohol level with 15.2%. Blood red in colour, warm earth, dry herbs, tobacco leaf. Much more savoury in style than some of the pretty wines we met earlier. Mid length with a soft finish. Red fruits on the palate. An attractive style; a wine with time ahead of it.
Angus Hughson – 91 Points
This is perhaps the most traditional of all the wines in the 2020 Grenache Project thanks to its high-octane, jubey fruit style reminiscent of many Barossan wines from a decade ago. It’s deeply coloured and flavoured – bursting with blackberry, black cherry and chocolate laced fruits plus some volatile lift. The palate is then luscious with layers of sweet fruit touched off with a nice layer of spice supported by soft tannins. It is a wine to drink sooner rather than later matched up with a flame-grilled Tomahawk steak.
Get a mixed pack of all the wines here.
