Tasting Notes
The story
Brett Grocke is a fifth generation Barossa grape grower - his ancestors first planted vineyards in the 1840s - and his knowledge of the Barossa region has led him to become one of South Australia’s most respected consultant viticulturists. Together with his mentor, Robert O’Callaghan, he bought six hectares of vineyards in the nearby but cooler Eden Valley including the Stonegarden vineyard from which the grapes for this wine come. Some of the vines in Stonegarden are about 160 years old. Eperosa uses traditional methods and organic principles in order to "capture the true characters of the vineyard. Our aim is to harvest fruit that is balanced, vibrant and flavoursome and requires little or no additions." Their motto is "wines from the dirt up".
The wine
This wine is principally Grenache (97%) with a smattering of Mataro and Shiraz and it follows the style of Eperosa wines - "wines of substantial power, purity and complexity". It is a big wine full of amazing perfumes and concentrated flavours yet manages, through careful wine-making, to be very elegant. I have categorised this wine as Big Bold because it is a big wine with lots of flavour but it could equally be a Smooth Elegant Red. You will find new flavours in this wine with each mouthful, it is so multi-layered and it has a lovely, juicy, long finish.
Food Pairing
Probably best enjoyed with food. It will go with most meats - chicken, turkey, red meats (grilled, roasted or barbecued), game etc - and vegetarian/ vegan cuisine but avoid serving it with very spicy foods as that could clash with its own spicy characteristics
Producer's Notes
"This is a big mouthful with spicy notes, gravel, pepper, herbs, blackberries, the list goes on. Plush on the palate with ripe fruit, some green herb character and a rich, long finish with some oaky spice."
Awards
96 points James Halliday 2017 Wine Companion
"... This another beautiful wine from Eperosa, the bouquet fine, perfumed and hauntingly fragrant, the palate detailed and precise finishing, with classic chalky old vine Grenache tannins."
17 points jancisrobinson.com
"... Very broad and sweet on the nose but wonderfully vital on the palate. Great stuff! I wish all Châteauneuf were as nimble. Chock full of extract and character with slightly dusty spice but - somehow - elegant fruit even though it is proclaimed unfined and unfiltered. Fine tannins in evidence too. Bravo!"
93 points Mike Bennie, The Wine Front
"... Spicy notes, gravel, peppery sniffs, herbs, anise-stained black berries, plummy stuff. Brooding, deep, dark bouquet. Plush in palate, ripe fruit, rivulets of greener herb character, rich, long, framed with spicy oak. Has a come-hither kind of texture and fog of warm fruit to finish. Presence and power. Big mouthful, lots to enjoy."
