Halliday awards McLaren Vale Grenache Great!
High times for High Sands Grenache as Halliday crowns 2020 Wine of the Year.
McLaren Vale's reputation for producing premium and ultra-premium Grenache continues to strengthen following the announcement of the 2020 Halliday Wine of the Year - awarded to Yangarra Estate Vineyard 2016 High Sands Grenache!
No stranger to prestigious wine accolades, Yangarra Estate winemaker Peter Fraser has always sung the praises of the region's most notable varietal. In 2016, Halliday named Fraser “Winemaker of the Year” and last year, the 2015 High Sands Grenache was awarded Halliday’s top wine in the “Other Red” category. Additionally, Fraser was a finalist for Gourmet Traveller Wine’s 2017 Winemaker of the Year and was the only Australian winemaker nominated for “Winemaker of the Year” in Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s annual Wine Star Awards in 2018.
Fraser notes the subtleties of winemaking that reveal the varietals true sense of place in McLaren Vale.
“Since my first vintage at Yangarra, the Grenache from this block has always shown remarkable character,” Fraser explains. “We released the first vintage of High Sands in 2005 and I’ve always felt it was an exceptional wine. Grenache is grabbing the attention of the wine community for its ability to show a true sense of place and its subtleties in the winemaking,” said Fraser.
The High Sands Grenache is the pinnacle wine in Yangarra’s southern Rhône-inspired portfolio and is sourced from a 1.7-hectare block that sits at the highest elevation on the 90-hectare organically and biodynamically farmed estate vineyard. These gnarly bush vines were planted in 1946 and are dry-grown in North Maslin White Sands that date back over 50 million years.
With just 6.15% of area under vine planted to Grenache, McLaren Vale's premium and ultra premium examples come from small pockets of well-tended vineyards spread throughout the region.
McLaren Vale Grape Wine & Tourism Association General Manager, Jennifer Lynch is thrilled the award celebrates and fosters national and international recognition of the deserving varietal.
"Our region’s Grenache history dates back to the 1800s so it is incredibly exciting to note Halliday's Wine of the Year has been awarded to a Grenache wine and to one of our region’s most passionate Grenache stalwarts – Yangarra Estate and winemaker Peter Fraser are deserving recipients,” said Lynch.
McLaren Vale will host the third annual James Halliday Grenache Challenge in September with entries open Australia wide on Monday, August 12 via mclarenvale.info/JHGC
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