Willunga 100, `The Tithing` McLaren Vale Grenache 2010
PL Award 1: SILVER - IWC 2012
Country: Australia Region: South Australia
Varietal: Grenache/Garnacha Vintage: 2010 Category: Red Wine
Colour: Red
Producer: Willunga 100
"Willunga 100’s focus is very much on premium Grenache. Its success last year when the 2014 The Hundred won the Grenache Trophy at the McLaren Vale wine show vindicated this focus, which has been driven by winemaker Mike Farmilo (who has almost 40 years of experience working in McLaren Vale) and consultant Tim James. Mike and Tim spend a lot of time working with the growers to ensure the quality of fruit is up to their exacting standards.
The soils in McLaren Vale are some of the oldest in the world, estimated at over 500 million years old. This means low vigour, ensuring low yields in the vineyard, so combined with the old vines, stunning fruit is produced. At the outset in 2004, Willunga 100 planned to focus on Cabernet/Shiraz and Shiraz/Viognier. However, the McLaren Vale vineyards also contained plots of 50 year old Grenache and it was these gnarled, low yielding vines which produced wonderful fruit that proved too good to simply blend away. The 2014 Grenache is a perfumed and spicy expression of the variety. The 2015 Grenache Rose is crisp, dry and very food-friendly. The 2013 'Tithing', a selection of the best Grenache from an old vineyard, is simply outstanding: complex, rich and opulent. The 2014 ‘The Hundred’, from a single vineyard of 80+ year-old bush vines in Blewitt Springs, is tank fermented and lees aged, and expresses the wonderful aromatics of this variety.
All the wines in the Willunga 100 range continue to be recognised for their consistency and quality. This was reflected at the Australian Wine Shows in 2015, where all the 2014 red wines won a gold medal or a trophy."
Product Features: Vegan;Vegetarian
Winemaker: Tim James
Vineyards:
The Tithing is made only in the best vintages, from small parcels of premium bush vine grapes. "Sandy soils provide lifted aromatics, while darker soils including 'Terra Rossa' types contribute to the richer, bolder tannins. The mediterranean climate of the McLaren Vale has warm sunny days with sea breeze influences from the nearby Gulf of St Vincent - perfect for ripening the grapes whilst maintaining a crisp, clean acid structure.
Vinification:
Hand-picked fruit was open fermented at high temperatures with regular pump-overs and plunging to ensure optimum early extraction. This regime was lessened toward the end of the ferment to maintain the delicate aromatics of the Grenache. Timely pressing, only using the best fractions ensured good quality of flavour and the favourable drying, sandy tannin structure. The wine was matured in old French oak Hogsheads for nine months to add complexity and mid palate richness.
Tasting Notes:
A concentrated, rich, complex wine. Intense cherry, strawberry lift with powerful savoury overtones put this 'old vine' Grenache at the serious quality end of the spectrum. Ripe, persistent tannins and a long fruit driven palate add to the intensity.
Closure: Stelvin ABV: 14.5% Acidity [g/l]: 6.3
