Clarendon Hills Romas Grenache 2023 (1pk)

The Romas vineyard features pre-phylloxera grenache vines planted around 1920, making them over 100 years old. These ancient, gnarly vines are situated on a steep, eastern-facing hillside in Blewitt Springs, which provides ideal sun exposure and drainage. The combination of old vine concentration, low yields, and the unique terroir creates grenache with exceptional mineral complexity and structure that's rare to find in modern plantings.

This Romas Grenache is designed for both immediate enjoyment and long-term cellaring, with the potential to evolve gracefully for 20 years or more. The silky tannins and medium weight make it approachable now, but the wine's mineral-driven structure and old vine intensity will reward patient collectors. As it ages, expect the vibrant fruit flavours to integrate further while developing more complex tertiary characters like leather, earth, and spice.

Unlike many full-bodied Australian reds that emphasise power and richness, this Romas Grenache showcases grenache's more elegant, mineral-driven side. The pre-phylloxera vines and eastern-facing aspect create a wine with flinty, graphite, and ironstone undertones rather than jammy fruit. This style reflects grenache's Mediterranean origins and demonstrates how old vines and careful viticulture can produce wines with finesse and complexity rather than just concentration.

The wine's exotic aromatics of musk, blood orange, and violet, combined with its mineral backbone, make it incredibly food-friendly. It pairs beautifully with Mediterranean cuisine like lamb tagines, duck confit, or aged cheeses, where the wine's complexity can complement rich, savoury flavours. The silky tannins and medium weight also make it excellent with game birds, mushroom dishes, or even spiced vegetarian fare where you want wine sophistication without overwhelming the food.

The dual 97-point scores from both Halliday Wine Companion and James Suckling represent exceptional recognition for Australian grenache, placing this wine in the top tier of domestic production. These scores reflect the wine's rare combination of old vine character, terroir expression, and winemaking excellence. For collectors, such high ratings from respected critics indicate both current drinking pleasure and strong investment potential, particularly given grenache's growing recognition as a premium varietal in Australia.