Gnadenfrei Red I 2021
I
By allocation only
Request an allocation
The first of the Gnadenfrei reds, a single-site blend grown on the Gnadenfrei South vineyard. Bottles are offered by allocation rather than sold from the shelf. Register your interest and we will contact you when the release is confirmed.
Tscharke Gnadenfrei Red I 2021
Wine Details
Vintage: 2021
Vineyard: Gnadenfrei South
Variety: 42% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, 28% Shiraz
Alcohol: 14.5%
pH: 3.42
Titratable Acidity: 6.3 g/L
Taste Profile
Best decanted and served in a large glass.
Deep ruby in colour. A bouquet so complex that it is hard to describe, with so many interlaced layers of spice, earthiness, minerality, herbs, flowers and ripe fruit.
This wine is unmistakably Tscharke, with a strong and vibrant aromatic quality that gives way to the most complex characters of garrigue, spice and earth. Each varietal contributes to this complexity, but the three have become one and elevated the blend to an ethereal level.
On the palate this wine is concentrated, showing all the richness, sweetness and generosity of Grenache. The red and darker fruit gives way to dry, toasted and spicy secondary tones. A veil of savouriness coats the wine and lingers forever after the sip. Balance and elegance, with a firm and imposing structure that integrates seamlessly.
This wine is evoking, ethereal and energetic. Young, it benefits from decanting; it will otherwise age gracefully for decades in the cellar.
Vintage Notes
Deep soaking winter rains that trickled into spring provided a spectacular start to the growing season.
The moist soils minimised the threat of frosts, followed with a mild spring at bud break made for a promising start to an incredible vintage. Despite its dryness, the growing season was relatively mild. Warm days, cool nights and little to no disease pressure gave rise to fruit rich in flavour and naturally high acid, all with relatively modest sugar levels.
The wines produced from 2021 will drink well young and many, if allowed, will cellar well to remind us of the great vintage. One of the best vintages in the recent decade.
Winemaking
The three varietals were individually hand-picked between late March and mid-April, at their optimal level of ripeness, from the Gnadenfrei South Vineyard.
Shiraz was fully destemmed and crushed into concrete fermenters, whereas for both the Grenache and Mourvèdre parcels, a portion of the stalks was used during fermentation. All ferments were allowed to macerate for 48 hours before inoculation. Once fermenting, they were only chilled after peaking at 30°C. Caps were managed by hand, with punch downs twice daily. Once dry, the wines were pressed to tank to complete MLF, before being lightly racked to the cellar.
After three months aging separately, the blend was carefully put together to highlight the character of this special vineyard. The final blend is 42% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre and 28% Shiraz.
The wine was élevaged for a further 12 months in a French foudre and a single terracotta amphora, before being racked for bottling. With months of bottle aging before release, this wine will continue to evolve and develop a complexity that is unique to Gnadenfrei.
