2024 In Praise of Shadows Grenache 6 Pack

94 POINTS

Gary Walsh - The Wine Front

I finished my last bottle of the 2021 the other month and it was right in the zone. I kind of like McLaren Vale Grenache, generally, with a few years on it, though not so much that the primary fruit starts to drop out. Anyway, I bought six of the 2021, and enjoyed every bottle. This is comprised of Bracken Vineyard 59% (Blewitt Springs), Springs Hill 27% (Blewitt Springs), Smart 9% (Clarendon) and 5% Mataro from Springs Hill. Raspberry, cherry, a chocolate nougat richness, nori, spice and perfume. It’s medium-bodied, nutty and red fruited, a juicy red fruit and orange flavour, light dusty tannin, with a finish of excellent length. Yum. Very good.

92 POINTS

Marcus Ellis - Halliday Wine Companion

A blend of sites – mainly Bracken vineyard, but also Springs Hill, both in Blewitt Springs and the Smart vineyard in Clarendon. Also, a mix of ferments, with varying degrees of whole bunch, and some components seeing 169 days on skins. That’s a lot. But it doesn’t play that way. Yes, there are layers of flavour and savoury structure, but the detail is not taxing, with an easy drinkability and general joyousness to it. Cherry, dried, fresh and sour, all red. Warmed spices, caraway, cumin, Sichuan pepper. Dried herbs, oregano, bay, mint. It’s mid-weight, food forward and engaging.