Head Old Vine Grenache 2019

‘Utterly glorious wine.’ 98 Points & Special Value Wine James Halliday

Trophy – Best Grenache of Show
97 Points
James Halliday Grenache Challenge 2020

94 Points Winefront

The Challenge invited producers from all Australian wine regions to participate, encouraging an honest gauge of Australia’s winemaking form and to catch the styles and movements developing across the landscape.

Head Wines has been named 2020 James Halliday Grenache Challenge winner for their 2019 Old Vine Grenache.

2020 McLaren Vale Wine Show Co-Chair and winemaker Paul Carpenter was impressed with the quality of Grenache submissions, especially the winning wine.

“The quality of wines entered in the 2020 James Halliday Grenache Challenge was remarkable and was a clear a statement of the affection for the variety held by both grape growers and winemakers from across Australia,” said Carpenter.

“The winning wine was a superb example of region and complexity with earthy savouriness coupled with beautifully bright fruit and structure.

“The years ahead with this variety are incredibly exciting with more regions across Australia planting Grenache and consumers connecting with the regional expression of the variety and drinkability. If the 2020 JHGC is anything to go by, the future is very bright for Australian Grenache.”

Head Wines Winemaker, Alex Head feels humbled to be named winner of the 2020 James Halliday Grenache Challenge winner.

Green harvested before veraison by 50% and shoot thinned to ensure ultimate quality of the grapes at time of harvest. Split hand-picked at 14% and 15% potential alcohol over a week. 15% whole-bunch, no crushing or temperature control, natural yeasts, hand plunged and foot trodden twice daily for 3 weeks. Racked once during elevage of 12 months in 20 year old foudre (2250L) and a small addition of old vine Mataro for balance. Bottled unfined and unfiltered under stelvin capsule. 

“Ripe raspberry, rosy and minty perfume, a little soil and gravel. It’s rich and throaty, almond and dark raspberry, a fair bit of grip from tannin, kind of dry, but with succulence of fruit. Some chamois-like texture on the finish, which is firm and pleasingly long. Quite well-packed this year, and almost a little sullen, but very good.” – 94 Points Gary Walsh, Winefront.

“Hand-picked from 35-160yo vines, foot trodden, hand-plunged, matured in large format oak. Superb colour; the bouquet and palate joyously meet raspberry, pomegranite, sour and red cherries and a wealth of spices in an unbroken stream that carries through to a lingering finish and aftertaste. Utterly glorious wine.” – 98 Points & Special Value Wine James Halliday