2023 Clarendon Hills Onkaparinga Grenache

Planted in 1945, the Onkaparinga Grenache vineyard sits high in the western reaches of Blewitt Springs, just a few hundred metres from the Romas site. These are low, gnarled bush vines growing in rocky soil so dense they’ve barely reached knee height after 80 years. The yields are tiny. The concentration is remarkable.

2023 was a long, late vintage - the third La Niña in a row, and by far the best of them. The cool, drawn-out season preserved acidity and stretched flavour development, giving Roman Bratasiuk the kind of fruit he only bottles when the site really shines.

The wine is plush and perfumed. Think Turkish delight, musk, violets and blue fruit, backed by subtle spice and a mineral thread that runs long through the palate. It’s layered but not heavy - tannins are supple, the structure is fine, and it already drinks beautifully.

A rare release from one of Clarendon Hills’ most expressive Grenache sites.

95 points
“The 2023 Grenaches from Clarendon Hills are aligned in their brooding, dark, tarry bouquets. I admit to being surprised by these qualities, given the plushness of fruit inherent on the palates. Here, the 2023 Onkaparinga Grenache is driven by a palate of sweet spicy fruit and shaped by gritty, pliable, sandy tannins. The chew of the wine, on the middle palate, is refreshing and satisfying, and it indicates that the wine will look even better tomorrow.”
- Erin Larkin (Wine Advocate)