Clarendon Hills Romas Grenache 2004 (1500ml)

94-96 / 100

Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

The top Grenache cuvee (essentially a selection of the finest fruit from the Blewitt Springs vineyard) is the 2004 Grenache Old Vines Romas Vineyard. Cropped at 1/2 ton of fruit per acre, it boasts a deep ruby color, fabulous density, and a big, earthy bouquet of loamy soil, minerals, black raspberries, kirsch liqueur, flowers, and spice box. With great intensity as well as purity, and an expansive, savory mouthfeel,

Taste the terroir of Blewitt Springs, McLaren Vale in this old vine, unfiltered, hand made flagship example. Clarendon Hills Romas Grenache is a single vineyard wine made from a patch of fruit on the steepest and rockiest section of the Blewitt Springs Grenache vineyard. Gnarly old vines planted in the 1940’s produce microscopic yields along with amazing acidity and present an acidity profile similar to that of a white wine. The density of the rocks and soil up in this part of the vineyard defines Romas and warrants its isolation from other parts of the vineyard and position as flagship Grenache expression at Clarendon Hills. The heavy presence of ironstone, quartz and shale rocks limit the size and yields of these vines and the resulting wine reflects the mineral elements. The expression we receive from this highly concentrated part of the vineyard is utterly hedonistic and offers mineral complexity for the wine collectors and enthusiasts out there. Typically each vintage yields a vivid kaleidoscope of fresh cut roses, Turkish delight, musk, sherbert, blood orange, blueberry, raspberry and kirsch fruit across an effortless powerful palate aloft with silk and ultra fine talcum like extract. Nuances of crushed rock, flint, graphite, iodine and ferrous like rust take this expression to the next level. Despite the majesty of the tasting note the profile is medium weighted and mirrors an iron fist in the velvet glove analogy. Amazing both right now to drink and also for the next 20 years in the cellar.