DOMAINE LA BARROCHE Julien Barrot, Chateauneuf-du-Pape

Destemmed and tipped into a tonne fermenter. Gentle pump over and slow extraction until full dryness. Only the free run was placed into a 3 year old French oak barrel. Soft palate with extremely precise and thin tannins that caress and carry on the freshness and intensity.

Clos du Lican is a standout single-vineyard wine from the Lapostolle family. It is situated on a steep, south-facing hillside in the Apalta Valley, where the soils consist of fractured granite and clay. This unique site is dedicated to Rhone varieties, specifically Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvèdre. The vineyard's altitude and orientation help keep temperatures cooler and slow ripening, preserving the fruit's natural acidity and structural integrity. The winemaking follows a traditional approach with a focus on purity. The fruit is hand-harvested and fermented in small French oak vats. The wine matures for 22 months in a combination of new and second-use French oak barrels, building complexity without overwhelming the primary fruit. The nose offers aromas of black cherry, dried lavender, and cracked black pepper. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied and layered with flavours of dark plum and liquorice. Firm tannins provide a solid backbone, resulting in a dry, persistent finish. This is a robust wine with significant cellaring potential for the Australian collector.

The Torbreck Les Amis Grenache is aged for 18 months in new oak and is a remarkably fragrant wine that shows abundant aromas of spice, cherry and wild raspberry. Textured and plush on the palate, it evolves into layers of blackberry and red currants with firm, ripe tannins. David Powell continues to lead this formidable Barossa wine estate to truly remarkable heights.