Once a year we release to you three single-site Grenache wines that we coax from the ancient Kaurna lands of McLaren Vale. 

2023 was a cool year. This allowed us to produce intriguing and delicious wines. 

Dive deep with me into the story behind these special wines. 

Presenting: Aphelion's 2023 Single Site Grenache Range.

" Since we launched this single site Grenache project back in 2021 vintage, the idea was to produce the three wines from the same sites in exactly the same way each vintage. It’s as much a project to catalogue the sites and vintages as it is to produce a quality wine. We only produce minute quantities of these wines (2 puncheons at most, sometimes less). Some vintages are more receptive to the 100% whole bunch process than others, however the decision was made to stick to this process to avoid deviating from the overarching aim of the trio." - Rob Mack

Released:

March 1 2025 - Exclusive to Wine Club Members

           Click Here to Join The Wine Club and Have First Access 

March 15 2025 - Exclusive to Email Subscribers

           Click Here to Join The Aphelion Email Newsletter For Access

1 April 2025 - General Release

Brini Single Site Grenache 2023

• Sourced from the upper tank block owned by the Brini family in the Blewitt Springs sub-region of McLaren Vale.
• This block has been a staple of Aphelion from our first vintage and also forms the backbone of the Confluence Grenache.
• Marcello Brini and his family manage the vineyard beautifully in harmony with the Mediterranean climate of McLaren Vale. 
• My favourite of the three Single Site Grenache's because of the beautiful aromatics, red fruit, and fine tannin - Louise.
• Bright with a deep purple hue in the glass.
• Lifted aromatics of cinnamon spice, damson plum, and brown sugar with a briar character that evolves in time.
• Medium plus in body, a savoury bitterness with an herbal edge balances the sweet cherry fruit.
• Prominent tannin provides a good structure and flavour length.

Accolades:

95 points Erin Larkin for Robert Parker Wine Advocate

95 points Huon Hooke The Real Review

93 points Gary Walsh for The Wine Front

92 points Marcus Ellis for Halliday Wine Companion

Hickinbotham Single Site Grenache 2023

• From Blocks 111-113 in the highest elevation of the famous Hickinbotham of Clarendon vineyard, close to the Adelaide Hills region.
• Organically and biodynamic-in-conversion farmed. 
• Highest altitude and southerly aspect provides respite from the hot afternoon sun during ripening. This means we pick the grapes around 2 weeks later than the other single sites. The extra hang time develops more flavour and ripeness.
• Lifted aromatics of cranberry, bramble, and cherry.
• Herbal characters abound on the palate, with rosehip, just-ripe strawberry, and blood orange flavours. A rasp of light tannin provides good length and a savoury finish.

Accolades:

95 points Marcus Ellis for Halliday Wine Companion

94 points Huon Hooke The Real Review

93 points Erin Larkin for Robert Parker Wine Advocate

Wait Single Site Grenache 2023

• Sourced from the Top Bush block owned by the Wait family in the northeast corner of the Blewitt Springs area of McLaren Vale.
• Planted in the mid 1940’s, this block is dry grown and provides small berries with intense flavour and prominent tannin. 
• The most structural and savoury wine in the range, brooding in character with earth and briary characters dominating the palate. Deeply coloured with an intense purple hue.
• Savoury aromatics of turned earth, root vegetable, and dark cherry are subtle but have great depth. The palate is firm with a very savoury and slightly saline edge. Tannin is the most prominent of the three SV wines, it comes in waves and carries the savoury edge of the wine across the palate with great length. The longest palate of the three, this wine will stand up to a rich food pairing and will benefit with time in the cellar.
• As you can tell from the tasting note - this is Rob's favourite of the three Single Site Grenache's!

Accolades:

96 points Erin Larkin for Robert Parker Wine Advocate

95 points Marcus Ellis for Halliday Wine Companion

94 points Huon Hooke The Real Review

94 points Gary Walsh for The Wine Front

More About The Single Site Grenache Project

How Did Aphelion's Grenache Focus Come About?

When we started Aphelion in 2014, we handcrafted and hand bottled our wines from just one tonne of bush vine Grenache fruit. (Read more about that original vintage and the original Grenache Project by clicking here.)

How Did The Single Site Grenache Range Come About?

In 2021 we revisited that original Grenache Project, with a new evolution. A firm belief that McLaren Vale yields the best Grenache in the country led Rob to seek to showcase the variety, as it pertains to the terroir it comes from.

Three exceptional vineyards, chosen by Rob to represent the breadth and depth of aroma, flavour and tannin.

Gentle winemaking to draw out each one's unique characteristics.

A livery befitting each wine's distinctiveness.

How Are The Wines Made?

Every year they are crafted the exact same way: handpicked, whole bunch fermented with foot treading, gentle pressing to large format neutral oak to age for 10 - 12 months. Guided into deliciousness by the deft and gentle hands of our very own world-class winemaker Rob Mack.

What Do The Names Mean?

Each of these extremely limited production wines (just one or two puncheons) is named for the family who grow the grapes. 

How Are The Grapes Grown? Sustainably?

Our growers produce incredible Grenache. They work incredibly hard, in harmony with the land they caretake and the diverse yearly conditions. 

All use minimal inputs - including water (the Wait family vineyard is dry gown), and two are certified under Sustainable Winegrowing Australia, and one is certified organic and biodynamic in conversion. 

Why Are They Called Single Site and not Single Vineyard?

There is only one vineyard that we currently take the whole vineyard's worth of grapes. We tend to select a portion of each vineyard, and sometimes several smaller portions from within a whole vineyard. A single site is a much smaller subsection of a vineyard. Each row would likely create a different wine! A project for another time perhaps!

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Unfiltered  |  Unfined  |  Vegan

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How Can I  Maximise The Deliciousness of My Grenache?