Whistler Double Back Grenache 2022

The Story Behind The Label

In 2014 we were harvesting grenache for rosé from our 2001 estate plantings. 3 days after the pick, we noticed an entire row (row 17) was still hanging. My Dad of course denied responsibility, claiming to have never missed a row in 45 years of viticulture. He clearly needed glasses! We decided to hand pick the remaining row of fruit direct to barrel and footstomped in the vineyard. Years down the track, we don't deliberately miss a row, but we do incorporate that whole bunch component that adds a distinct rose petal lift to this wine. 

The Fruit

60% of this blend comes from our 2001 Estate plantings, while the remaining 30% comes from Steve and Tracey Koch. This beautiful single vineyard heading towards Lyndoch was planted in 1976. The west-facing slope has quite a bit of red loam soil on top of limestone, giving the fruit great complexity. Spur pruned on permanent arms at both vineyards.

Winemaking

20% whole bunch was used to give this wine some crunch on the palate, and some spice and lift on the nose. The remainder of the fruit was gently destemmed out in the vineyard and fermented as whole berries to give a nice carbonic maceration juiciness to the wine. The wild ferment was plunged twice a day in open fermenters for 12 days before gentle basket pressing. The wine was then aged in French oak foudre & puncheons for 6 months before blending and bottling with no fining.

The Wine

2023 was a great year for Grenache, with warm, dry conditions throughout vintage allowing ripeness to be reached while still retaining great natural acidity. Bright ruby red in colour, with some beautiful floral aromas, this sings elegance. The whole bunch component adds a nice smokiness to the wine, and gives an extra layer of tannin that helps bring it all together.

The palate is fresh and crisp with a layer of bright red fruits that draws the wine across the palate, makes you salivate and leaves you wanting more. The tannins are fine and elegant, and the acidity gives this wine a lot of precision on the palate.

13.3% ABV