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Cirillo Estate Wines, Grenache "Ancestor Vine", 2018

Red Wine from Australia, Australia
by Cirillo Estate Wines
$64.99
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These may be the oldest producing Grenache vines on the planet. Cirillo Estate in the Barossa Valley farms vines planted in 1848, basket-pruned in the old Calabrian way — a method Marco Cirillo's family carried from southern Italy — and in fifty years only two people have pruned this hallowed block. The 'Ancestor Vine' Grenache is the estate's crown jewel: deep, savory, and remarkably elegant for the Barossa, with the perfume and finesse only ancient vines deliver. The 2018 is a ripe, complete vintage. A genuinely historic bottle for old-vine devotees.

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Antonio Galloni

95 points

"The 2018 Grenache Ancestor Vine is a little shy when first opened but grows in the glass into something quite special with ethereal aromas of cherry compote, animal skins and dark earth with a reserved background of French oak. Despite bottle age, the 2018 has a notable upfront acidity and freshness before opening to a velvet-textured palate with pliable tannins before a spicy/meaty finish. This is an earlier drinking vintage but will hold well over the medium term." —Angus Hughson

More about Cirillo Estate Wines

Cirillo is the custodian of what are thought to be the oldest producing Grenache and Semillon vines in the world, planted in 1848 in the Barossa Valley and still bearing fruit.

The vineyard sits at Light Pass, on the deep golden sands typical of the Vine Vale area. Vincent Cirillo, from a family with long winemaking roots in Calabria, bought the abandoned site in 1970. When the 1980s vine-pull scheme paid growers to rip out old Barossa vines, he refused, and instead pruned the ancient, gnarled vines into a distinctive basket shape that he credited with keeping them productive. His son Marco now runs the estate, and in the past fifty years only the two of them have ever pruned the 1848 Grenache.

The 1850 Ancestor Vine Grenache and Ancestor Vine Semillon come from those historic vines and are the estate's rarities. The Vincent Grenache and the Single Vineyard Shiraz are the more approachable side of the range. Expect Grenache that is perfumed and savory rather than jammy, and a dry, textural Semillon that ages beautifully.

Wine Details

  • Grape Variety

    Grenache

  • Vintage

    2018

  • Size

    750ml

  • Farming Practice

    Organic

  • Sweetness

    Dry

  • Body

    Medium Bodied

Flatiron's Take

From the Importer

What Skurnik Wines has to say about this wine:

100% Grenache

A single vineyard, planted in 1848 in the Light Pass region of the Barossa Valley

This single vineyard is believed to be the oldest Grenache vineyard in the world

Ancient lake bed sand

Hand harvested in late March/early April

Basket pressed

Fermented in open top fermenters with indigenous yeast

Aged for 10 months in seasoned hogshead

Tasting Notes & Food Pairings

Perfect Pairings

Slow-roasted lamb, grilled sausages, mushroom dishes, hard cheeses, Moroccan tagine.

Tasting Profile

Deep but elegant old-vine Grenache — dark berry and kirsch fruit, earth, spice and savory perfume, with fine, ripe tannins.