Ravensworth The Grainery 2023

“All the nuts and brine, an amontillado kind of note with light, washy green apple fruit, lime juice, a gently sweet lemony profile, nashi pear too. Lots of character emerges in the lighter, looser knit frame here, but the wine ends up compelling for that savoury twist and the overall impression is a wine to savour, or to use as final condiment in the glass for something substantial on the table. Serious wine.”

“Deep golden colour, showing a lot of evolution. There are herb and spice aromas with overt peachy stone-fruits and a strong suggestion of a skins ferment. The palate is soft and open-knit, with breadth, and lots of cashewnut and creamy lees flavours along with stone fruits. Not obviously varietal, but a generous mouthful of dry white.”

“The 2023 The Grainery is a blend of Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne. It matured in 600-liter demi-muids for one year, followed by a second year in 20-hectoliter Stockinger. Aromatically, the wine leads with yellow peach, pineapple and star anise; in the background, there's a suggestion of mineral turpentine layered with white tea, sweet mint and brine. In the mouth, the wine speaks of its élevage, with toasted nuts in profusion, intermingled with white chocolate, flowers and really great length. While I may comment that the oak is pronounced here, the wine is complex, long, layered and powerful. It has really great shape and length. It's very good, a wine for the future. It has an attractive Rhône Valley stamp. 12.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.”