WINE NOW | PAY LATERS
Made From: Single site sandy soil Grenache
Aromas and Flavours: Cherries, red fruits, spice, slate plum
Drink if you like: Alkina Grenache
Awards: 95 Halliday, 94 Wine Front
The Wine Companion's Hot Take: Far Out. Beautifully composed, pure ... a bright mineral cadence, it's a ripper.
McLaren Vale might be considered the best place on earth for straight Grenache, but this wine and others show the Barossa has drawn level. This is single site, sandy soil, 100% whole bunch Grenache fermented in a combo of cement tank and older French oak. It is complex, densely layered yet lean on opening and fruit driven once you decant. There's spice and red fruits aplenty, ginger, florals, fine but plentiful tannins and a gorgeous minerality. Magnificent.
On any purchase of a dozen or more
With experienced wine nerds ready to help
No risk online shopping
Didn't like the wine? Just send it back!
Ollin, aka Jaysen Collins and his daughter Fin, make incredible wines, Fin recently finished her winemaking degree and has a superb palate. Jaysen founded Massena and is a consultant for some exceptional Barossa producers, inc one who makes a slew of Shiraz and Grenache wines at prices north of $200 a bottle - he’s an absolute gun.
Notorious hard markers, the Wine Front, had the following to say of the new venture…
On the Winery: A new project is born. And what a thunderous start.
Of the Oleta White: This is a wickedly good, fancy-feeling wine. Right on. Ludicrous value
Of the Balto Shiraz Grenache: Far out. This is outrageously delicious. Almost an Italianate feel to elements in the wine, as a positive. It should turn anyone on looking for dark fruited, proper Barossa red wine of vitality, drinkability and charm.
Of the Shiraz: This is Outstanding. Lavish scents and flavours … lusty, gnarly older vine depth and then energetic and vibrant in the same breath. The bottle went, mea culpa.
These are incredible wines made in tiny quantities.
When it comes to these tacos that you can eat all day every day, it's best to find a wine that invokes the same feeling.
I'm gonna ruffle a few feathers here with this one and go MERLOT!!! Mer-what? I know, I know, merlot hasn't got the best of reputations these days but honest to god there are some crackers out there! Often massed produced and definitely overdone in California at least it has grown out of popularity somewhat. WELL, prepare to have your mind changed in a matter of mls!!
This might seem like a strange one, but I can honestly say that this combo really works. Usually, when you think of burgers you lean towards a beer, or even a nice glass of red. The freshness of the apple, spice coming through from the tomato jam, and the addition of pork had me leaning towards a Riesling.
WINE NOW | PAY LATERS
