PL Award 1: SILVER - IWC 2016 Country: Australia  Region: South Australia  Vintage: 2015 Category: Red Wine  Colour:  Red Producer: Willunga 100 "Willunga 100’s focus is very much on premium Grenache. Its success last year when the 2014 The Hundred won the Grenache Trophy at the McLaren Vale wine show vindicated this focus, which has been driven by winemaker Mike Farmilo (who has almost 40 years of experience working in McLaren Vale) and consultant Tim James. Mike and Tim spend a lot of time working with the growers to ensure the quality of fruit is up to their exacting standards. The soils in McLaren Vale are some of the oldest in the world, estimated at over 500 million years old. This means low vigour, ensuring low yields in the vineyard, so combined with the old vines, stunning fruit is produced. At the outset in 2004, Willunga 100 planned to focus on Cabernet/Shiraz and Shiraz/Viognier. However, the McLaren Vale vineyards also contained plots of 50 year old Grenache and it was these gnarled, low yielding vines which produced wonderful fruit that proved too good to simply blend away. The 2014 Grenache is a perfumed and spicy expression of the variety. The 2015 Grenache Rose is crisp, dry and very food-friendly. The 2013 'Tithing', a selection of the best Grenache from an old vineyard, is simply outstanding: complex, rich and opulent. The 2014 ‘The Hundred’, from a single vineyard of 80+ year-old bush vines in Blewitt Springs, is tank fermented and lees aged, and expresses the wonderful aromatics of this variety. All the wines in the Willunga 100 range continue to be recognised for their consistency and quality. This was reflected at the Australian Wine Shows in 2015, where all the 2014 red wines won a gold medal or a trophy." Product Features: Vegan;Vegetarian Winemaker: Mike Farmilo Vineyards: Sandy soils provide lifted aromatics while darker soils including 'Terra Rossa' types contribute to rich, bold tannins. All the vineyards are managed to produce the highest quality possible with only the best parcels selected for Willunga 100. McLaren Vale has a warm Mediterranean climate with a strong cooling influence from the Gulf of Saint Vincent. Vinification: A combination of open fermenters and stainless steel pump-over tanks were used. Warm to hot fermentation temperatures, combined with regular pumping over and plunging ensured optimum extraction, whilst maintaining the delicate aromatics of the Grenache grapes. Timely pressing, only using the best press fractions ensured good quality of flavour and the favourable drying, sandy tannin structure. The wine was matured in older French oak to add complexity and mid palate richness, but not to dominate the varietal characters. The wine is bottled under screwcap to maintain freshness and ensure longevity. Tasting Notes: A splendid, perfumed, spicy expression of Grenache. Fresh red fruit aromas and flavours and silky tannins combine on the palate that has great substance and structure. Well-balanced, with lingering hints of clove. Food Suggestion: Great with all manner of barbequed food, from steaks to sausages to big mushrooms or skewered aubergines. Closure: Stelvin  ABV:14.5%