Roccella Grenache Shiraz 2016

Three generations ago the Conti family immigrated from the small Sicilian village of Roccella to start a new life in Australia, and so continued their enduring relationship between the land and wine…

Vineyard
Fruit for this wine was entirely hand harvested from vineyards well suited to classic Mediterranean varieties. Grenache was grown on sandy soils at the foot of the Perth Hills. These soils are interspersed with remnants of gravel which is ideal for grenache production. Shiraz was grown on the limestone-based soils at The Tuarts vineyard, Carabooda.

Harvest
All components were hand harvested on different dates from mid-to-late February (2 February Grenache picked and 14 February shiraz picked). The harvest date was determined by tasting fruit in the field where we sought grenache with fruit sweetness and shiraz with good colour and body.

Winemaking
Following de-stemming and crushing, the grenache was fermented in traditional open fermenters and pressed after only four days on skins so as not to extract firm tannins. Fermentation was then completed in stainless steel. The shiraz component was also fermented in open fermenters and transferred entirely to old American oak following pressing. The shiraz was blended with grenache after a short time in oak to retain fruit sweetness.

Nose
Fruit driven with fresh red cherries, berries and plums with just a hint of vanillin oak.

Palate
A grenache driven, juicy palate balanced by spicy shiraz. Fresh, young and intentionally fruit-driven with a juicy red fruit palate and dusty oak finish.

Food
This is the quintessential bistro wine, ideally suited to provincial Italian pasta dishes and wood fired pizza. For the brave, drink lightly chilled on a hot summer’s day.

Cellaring
Drink now. Or for further complexity, cellar for just 2 to 3 years.

Previous awards

Roccella Grenache Shiraz 2009
Silver Medal
Qantas Wine Show of WA 2010

Grenache Shiraz 1997
Silver Medal
Swan Valley & Regional Winemakers Association Awards 1998