Barossa 16.0% Screwcap $50-55 Source: Sample
If you’re fortunate enough to have a bottle of this, leave it alone a while longer…or give it a good decant. On removing the screwcap I was assualted by spearmint and brandy. Thankfully that wasn’t a good description of the wine after an hour or so in the decanter.
It’s earthy, chocolatey and tarry with sweeter fruit flavours balancing the savoury traits. Serious red berries and minimal confected characters in Grenache terms. As it settles it becomes very silken. The alcohol integrates, providing an enjoyable warming sensation in your whole body rather than overt heat on the palate. Spicy on a finish that is plenty long. The wine’s structure is still very much in tact. No signs that this will fall over anytime soon. The spearmint is distracting, but not enough so as to spoil the considerable enjoyment to be found here. The wine would just be better without it.
Ultimately I preferred the 2006 and I strongly suspect that Marco is only getting better at this Old Vine Grenache business. But don’t get me wrong, this is a very good wine. I’ll provide some vine porn for you to look at. His 1850 vineyard is a special place and it’s going to produce some amazing wines under his watch in the years to come.
Email Winery- marcocirillo@adam.com.au
sounds like a rather interesting wine, I am planning a tasting/stocking trip to south Australia at the moment, any idea if they have a cellar door?
Tom- Marco is a very accommodating man and if he's in the Barossa when you visit I'm pretty sure he'd be happy to make an appointment to taste.
I'd give him a call on 0408 803 447 and/or email at marcocirillo@adam.com.au and let him know when you'll be on your trip. I'm yet to make the trip to see the 1850 vines Vineyard but I think it would be pretty special to see up close.