Grenache Carignan
Red and black berries, thyme and sage leaf, cedar spice flowing over iodine tannins, refreshing acidity. The two varieties at play but in harmony; with Grenache jolly and juicy, providing the plush mouthfeel, Carignan earthy and herbal, bringing tension and complexity. Relaxed and generous, this wine likes a big glass and a rich bowl of food.
Reviews of the 2023 Grenache Carignan:
91 points, Shanteh Wale, South Australian Wine Guide 2026, November 2025:
Mulberry, Christmas cherries and blackcurrant. Fig leaf and black peppercorns. A marriage of red and black fruits with some lightness that dances on the palate; this becomes quite the refreshing number with a few sips and it could handle a very slight chill in the summer months. There is a garrigue of herbs and growing things, some green peppercorn bite. A befitting wine for peppery herbs or a loaded salami and rocket focaccia. Drink now-2028.
92 points, Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion, September 2025:
Off grenache (60%) vines planted in 2009 and carignan (40%) in 2014 from the Sand Road vineyard. This, the first release, is very much in a bistro weight. The buoyant red-berried grenache is lively and juicy, with carignan adding scrubby herb and spice notes, the enthusiasm of the former balanced but not quelled by the latter. It’s an appealing wine, with a zippiness to the finish that will see it work nicely with so many foods, from lighter vegetable plates to fattier meat dishes.
