Product Information:
The High Sands Grenache is the pinnacle of the estate. Reaching deep within the sandy soil, our prized 1946 old vines produce wines that balance intense power and complexity with fragrance and beauty.
2021 was a favourable growing season, with good winter rains, a mild flowering and fruit set period and continued spring rainfall. Vines showed good balance of shoot vigour and moderate berry size. The ripening period that began late January was very cool, with some welcome rainfall in mid-February. The cold nights and mild sunny days in March slowed sugar accumulation, resulting in excellent fruit ripeness and intensity.
Sourced exclusively from our special Block 31. At 210m elevation, this is the highest section of the 1946 planted bush vine Grenache, which also has the deepest sandy soil. Hand-picked 24th March, selectively sorted in the winery. Destemmed and 50% whole berries retained. Wild yeast fermented in open fermenters with a long gentle maceration for a minimum of 21 days with a portion of extended maceration. No pressings are used in this wine. Matured on lees in a combination of old Austrian and French oak foudre, puncheon and ceramic eggs for 11 months.
Maker:
Yangarra's philosophy is to authentically capturing a sense of place from their single vineyard estate. The property is 170 total hectares, with close to 90 hectares to vine. The remaining 80 hectares are preserved for native vegetation and wildlife and is intended to enhance the symbiotic relationship between the vines and their natural environment. Yangarra’s benefits from its rare meso-climate which includes a moderate altitude, abundant sunshine and cool evening breezes make it perfect for growing varieties that thrive in the moderate maritime Mediterranean environments.
Here they have a strong affinity to grape varieties of the southern Rhone, old bush vine Grenache is the cornerstone variety. Yangarra Estate is planted with a number of diverse varieties, including traditional grapes like Shiraz and Roussanne to more obscure varieties such as Bourboulenc, Picpoul Noir, Clairette Blanc and Counoise. With a tendency towards experimentation, Yangarra was the first in Australia to commercially plant Grenache Blanc. Through their biodynamic regenerative farming practices and sensitive winemaking philosophies their respect of this special piece of country is evident in the wines we make from its grapes – every Yangarra Estate wine is a confident reflection of this land.
Vineyard:
Yangarra started their organic and biodynamic journey in 2008, Yangarra Estate has been certified biodynamic and organic with ‘Australian Certified Organic’ since 2012. To achieve this they began with removing all synthetic herbicides, pesticides and fertilisers on our estate vineyard, these changes promoted a natural succession in soil and vine health. By applying biodynamic preparations in the vineyard, Yangarra have cultivated a beneficial soil microbial biomass. This is supported by their natural composting processes, which includes mulching grasses under vine back into the soil, building organic matter. By applying biodynamic principals they've promoted a diverse soil microbiology in which the vines grow. Finally grazing sheep through winter helps to control grasses throughout the vineyard, naturally fertilising soils and reducing compaction from tractors.
Nose - Turkish Delight, Five Spice, Raspberry
Raspberry, Turkish Delight and Chinese fivespice aromatics.
Palate - Red Fruits, Exotic Spices, Dry Earth
Palate is seamless and silken: red fruits, exotic spices, dry earth and rose petals all flow across the palate, all entwined with a fine net of acidity and tannin that lifts and drives it.
Finish - Endless Finish, Fine Grained, Driving Tannins
It’s the sheer graceful power of the thing that’s so beguiling, as it noiselessly swoops in, catching you in the updraft of its immense wingspan. By any measure, this is a great wine.
Medium ruby-red with a bright purple tone. Raspberry, Turkish Delight and Chinese fivespice aromatics. Palate is seamless and silken: red fruits, exotic spices, dry earth and rose petals all flow across the palate, all entwined with a fine net of acidity and tannin that lifts and drives it. The never-ending finish is a chorus of fruit and spice with the finest grained but persistent tannins ensuring you keep returning to admire it. - Stuart Knox, The Real Review, 98 Points.
High Sands is always a landmark wine, a site-reflective icon of peerless husbandry and elaboration, but it can be imposing, needing time and reflection. This is different, though, finely tuned, lucid, silky and sophisticated, and feeling even more expressive of place. A great, cool vintage, yes, with both depth and levity, but Pete Fraser’s quarter turns of the screw are also palpable. Fruits are red and black, ripe but with some tart wild tension, dusted in heady baharat spicing, the heartbeat of old-vine power pulsing insistently within. Flavour descriptors feel ineffectual, though. It’s the sheer graceful power of the thing that’s so beguiling, as it noiselessly swoops in, catching you in the updraft of its immense wingspan. By any measure, this is a great wine. - Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion, 98 Points.
The Finer Details
Style - Red Wine
Varietal - Grenache
Country - Australia
Region - McLaren Vale, South Australia
Vintage - 2021
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 14.5%
Other - Organic, Biodynamic
