Vanguardist V Grenache 2022

The fruit came across over four tranches and 14 days from the Rende vineyard in Blewitt Springs; élevage in seasoned foudre. What a wine! From a cool year, Michael Corbett’s gestalt mastery of piecing together nuanced fermentation parcels into a dazzling, harmonious whole – nothing extraneous, nothing forced – is on full show. This is so present, perfumed, detailed and poised. It’s hard not to reference Barbaresco, but this deserves its due as a unique force. Lilting red florals, both fresh and pressed, warm terracotta, dried cherry and cranberry, dried orange peel and brown spices feature across an expressly savoury, mid-weight frame, sans sweetness and with naturally derived tannins both finely sandy and just so deeply etched. Simply brilliant! Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion