Cirillo The Vincent Grenache 2015
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Wine
Spectator
Product Details
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Winemaker Notes
This Grenache is produced from two 100+ year old vineyards from the renowned Barossa Valley.
The Vincent offers inviting aromas of rich fruit and white pepper. The palate is generous with intense true varietal characteristics. It’s delicately rounded and generous. The mouth feel denotes the 90 year old Foudre barrels, where this wine has rested for 12 months. A superb Grenache that has a lingering finish. A wine that can be enjoyed now, or well into the future.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Crisp and bright, offering a mix of bright cherry, mineral and white pepper notes that add an air of delicacy and precision. The tannins are firm and in the background. Drink now through 2026. 2,400 cases made.
Other Vintages
2021-
Robert
Parker
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James
Suckling
The Cirillo family moved to the small district of Light Pass in 1970. Vincent Cirillo became the custodian some exceptional vineyards that were planted in 1848; today it is noted to be the oldest surviving and producing Grenache and Semillon parcels in the world. Their prized fruit went to well-known producers; Rockford, Peter Lehmann, St. Hallet and Torbreck.
Marco Cirillo, the youngest of four children had always helped the family cultivate and preserve their precious Grenache, Semillon and Shiraz vineyards. It was during the late 1990’s when Marco was studying winemaking through Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga, and actively working as a cellar hand where he honed his skills as an exceptional winemaker that he is today.
The family farm and ancestor vineyards grow in around 8ft of pure golden sand, which is a common terroir of the Vine-Vale area. Marco and Vincent remain the only two people who have ever pruned the 1848 Grenache vineyard in the past 40 years. The early ‘basket-pruning’ style that was adopted by Vince in the 70’s has helped the vines support themselves and continue to produce incomparable fruit each year. Their meticulous craftsmanship is why this vineyard is a picture of health today.
Grenache thrives in any warm, Mediterranean climate where ample sunlight allows its clusters to achieve full phenolic ripeness. While Grenache's birthplace is Spain (there called Garnacha), today it is more recognized as the key player in the red blends of the Southern Rhône, namely Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Côtes du Rhône and its villages. Somm Secret—The Italian island of Sardinia produces bold, rustic, single varietal Grenache (there called Cannonau). California, Washington and Australia have achieved found success with Grenache, both flying solo and in blends.
Historically and presently the most important wine-producing region of Australia, the Barossa Valley is set in the Barossa zone of South Australia, where more than half of the country’s wine is made. Because the climate is very hot and dry, vineyard managers work diligently to ensure grapes reach the perfect levels of phenolic ripeness.
The intense heat is ideal for plush, bold reds, particularly Shiraz on its own or Rhône Blends. Often Shiraz and Cabernet partner up for plump and powerful reds.
While much less prevalent, light-skinned varieties such as Riesling, Viognier or Semillon produce vibrant Barossa Valley whites.
Most of Australia’s largest wine producers are based here and Shiraz plantings date back as far as the 1850s or before. Many of them are dry farmed and bush trained, still offering less than one ton per acre of inky, intense, purple juice.