2024 Sandalwood Grenache Gris Piquepoul
Our Sandalwood vineyard is planted to grenache gris and piquepoul on a rocky slope in the foothills of McLaren Flat. These varieties are picked together and co-fermented to create a rich and textured wine with brightness and lift.
Grenache Gris (50%) and Piquepoul (45%) with inclusion of 5% Clairette.
Label artwork is by South Australian artist Tom Gleghorn.
"From the Sandalwood vineyard in the McLaren Flat foothills. Approximately 45/40/15% grenache gris/picpoul/clairette, as hand picked into same bins. Co-fermented in concrete, then returned for 10 months' élevage. Intensely expressive, like a stroll through an orchard in blossom, then rolling into a complex melange of orchard fruits and a dizzying layering of pear, apple and stone fruit cultivars. Feels distinctly heirloom, rather than the usual suspects. There are also hints of spice, nutmeg and cinnamon. It’s textural, slippery but a little pithy, too, generous, cascading with flavour. Then all is refined by a pristinely natural acid line. It’s utterly delicious. 96 points"
Marcus Ellis, Wine Companion
"Lots of white flower perfume, musk stick-flagrantly fragrant really – ginger and cassia bark, fresh apricot, green banana and apple. It’s fleshy and flavoursome, stone fruit and spiced pie apple, powdery texture, some citrus rind and raw almond bitterness, balanced acidity with a stony and pithy bite on a finish of good length. Very interesting, also different and engaging. Like it. 93 points"
Gary Walsh, The Winefront
"Aromas of peaches, white nectarines, ginger, lemon pith and yellow apples. The palate is medium-bodied with generous texture and focused acidity, showing orange rind, grapefruit, chamomile and spices. Refreshing and delightful. Drink now. 93 points"
JamesSuckling.com
"Mid-straw and bright in the glass. Complex and lifted aromas of stone fruit, wheat puff, baked apple, spice and white lily. Textured, nutty, mouth-filling and layered on the palate. Mealy and with a core of cooked citrus, pear and pithy acidity. There's also lovely grip and shape on the finish. 92 points"
Aaron Brasher, The Real Review