Dowie Doole B.F.G. Grenache 2018

Winemaking:

The Grenache was fermented in an open fermenter for a period of 10 days. During the fermentation, the must was plunged by hand to maintain the elegant gentle Grenache characteristics.  After pressing; 50% of the wine was transferred to 4-6 year-old French oak barrels, the other 50% was kept in tank, to preserve the delicate Grenache characters. The wine was then matured in barrel/tank for 7 months, to allow the wine to complete Malolactic Fermentation and mature/soften. After which the barrels and tank were tasted, and various portions of each comments was trialled as bench blends, until we felt we had achieved the right balance. The final blend was 60% from barrel and 40% from tank, which has produced a wine with a lovely balance of fruit and oak, allowing the Grenache fruit characters to shine. This wine was then coarsely filtrated and bottled.
This relatively simple and minimal winemaking approach produces a vibrant, fresh, soft and juicy example of McLaren Vale Grenache. 

VINEYARDS:
DOWIE DOOLE Estate Vineyard, Tatachilla, McLaren Vale, SA


Winemaker"s Comment / Vintage:
2018 was a dry but generally mild vintage, especially well-suited to Grenache. Allowing this late ripening variety to achieve full flavour ripeness without an excessively high Baume. An excellent Grenache year demonstrating the lovely purity of fruit from DOWIE DOOLE’s 53 year old bush vine Grenache.

Favourite recipe for this wine:
Charcuterie Board, Peking Duck, Lamb Ragu