(2022) This Southern Rhône-style blend is mostly Grenache, with 10% Syrah and 5% Mataro (aka Mourvèdre) from a vineyard planted in 1999. Fermented with wild yeast and no temperature control, it was aged for almost year in large oak casks. It's a smoky, meaty and bramble-fruited wine, with a elegant lift that develops aromatically showing violet and kirsch top-notes. In the mouth, so much sweet-toned cherry and ripe red plum fruit, edged with savour, cedary oak and a very polished tannin structure. It has grip and finishes dry, tobacco spices bolstering the fruit.
(2021) From the most southerly of McHenry Hohnen's vineyards, this is 100% Gingin clone, and again was whole-bunch pressed, and into barrique (25% new) with solids, and moved to tank after eight months. The nose here is more in the nutty, gently hazelnut and almond spectrum with just a suggestion of gunsmoke and roasted seeds in the background. The fruitis apples and pears again, quite restrained. Great juiciness on the palate: a squirt of lemon or sour orange instantly gives this mouth-watering, savoury quality, again there is a little nectarine juiciness, running into more blood orange, to a long, tapering finish.
(2020) Paul says the Taransud barrels bring out the aromatics in this wine. Quite a resinous, balsamic quality from the oak at first, lots of vanilla and also game and bloody notes. On the palate quite plummy but with a cherry freshness, taut, quite dominant tannins but good balance and length.
(2017) The blend contains 77% Chardonnay, which is higher than usual. Lovely struck match complex sulphides on the nose, a little toffee, and the orchard fruits have delicious juiciness and length, fine, long, tapering acids in a lovely wine. The sweet fruit so nicely balanced against the creamy acidity. Note that online retailer Justincases is offering a six pack of this for £139.50 inc VAT at time of writing: £23.95 per bottle.
