BACKGROUND

Located on the outskirts of McLaren Vale, our steadfast old Grenache vines thrive
in the ancient, sandy soils of Blewitt Springs. These vines, planted in 1930,
consistently yield extraordinarily dark and flavourful grapes. The original
custodians of this ancient vineyard, the Townsend family, first planted vines here
circa 1905. The estate's rugged and isolated setting, particularly during those early
years, reflects their own adventurous and pioneering spirit, akin to our own
winemaking patriarch, Douglas Collett. So, through this wine we make a testament
to them, the Townsend family and pay homage to those with the grit and
determination to plant and pioneer the region of McLaren Vale.

WINEMAKING

Our old vine Grenache was harvested in stages, with a mix of winemaking
techniques in mind. A portion of the vineyard was hand-picked for our ‘whole
bunch’ batch, which was fermented in open stainless-steel vats. This was done at
two distinct stages of the vintage to produce different batches with varying fruit
ripeness and acidity. The rest of the vineyard was picked at full ripeness and
fermented in closed rotary fermenter, allowing for greater extraction of tannins and
concentration of intense red fruit character. Each batch was kept separate for
maturation in a combination of stainless steel and seasoned oak barrels. After 8
months of maturation, the wines were blended over several sessions before being
sent for bottling.

TASTING NOTES

The 2025 Townsend Grenache presents an intense array of complex flavors thatinstantly capture your attention. A warm and sunny vintage helped develop fragrant red fruit characters of raspberries and sweet dark cherries. On the palate, vibrant berries are complemented by smooth, liqueur-like chocolate notes, creating a rich and layered experience. The finish offers a touch of white pepper spice, lively acidity, and well-balanced tannins, leaving you with a lasting impression.

FROM THE WINEMAKER

‘This is a really exciting wine. It brings together everything we love about the
traditional Woodstock style—big flavors, soft, intense tannins, but it also taps
into the current Grenache style that McLaren Vale is becoming known for, with
that boldly youthful, aromatic, perfumed profile. We’ve blended the old and the
new in this one, and it has really come together nicely.’ - Peter Collett

Varieties: Grenache
Vintage: 2025
Region: McLaren Vale, Australia
Alcohol: 14.9%
Bottle Size: 750ml

Vegan Friendly

Townsend Grenache 2025