2001 Clarendon Hills Grenache Kangarilla Vineyard Old Vines

Strange, strange, strange and I thought this bottle of 2001 Clarendon Hills Grenache Old Vines Kangarilla Vineyard was flawed and borderline undrinkable at first. While the nose was interesting with huge notes of rosemary, dried cherries, earth and roasted herbs, it also showed an alcoholic edge… and the palate was a complete nightmare that had me looking for a spit bucket... and I wasn’t spitting. I left this in the glass though and the alcohol on the nose became less apparent and the palate lost its hard edge as well... so, not a good showing but judgment reserved. If you got em, decant.

Even better is the 2001 Grenache Romas Vineyard. It offers classic kirsch liqueur notes intermixed with lavender, liquorice, spice box, and a hint of earth. This fully mature, peppery, spicy, full-bodied wine displays lots of character. The lesson with respect to these Clarendon Hills Grenaches is to drink them during their first 6-8 years of life.

This shows a ruby-red color with slight bricking at the rim. It began a touch funky with some medicinal and burnt notes, which blew off with air, and the wine overall was absolutely delicious. Black-cherry and subtle raspberry aromas are backed by loads of underbrush, herbs, tar paper, and charred earth on the nose, leading into a balanced, medium- to full-bodied palate. Ripe and packed with sweet fruit, it delivers a silky-smooth texture, perfectly integrated tannins, vibrant acidity, and a long, enjoyable finish. Not jammy or viscous, it showed great poise, and the acidity gave the wine a precise edge.