Cirillo Estate Vincent Grenache 2021
If Marco Cirillo had a hipster beard and a strong social media game, his name (and wines) would be on everyone’s lips. He’d be feted as one of the new breed of Barossa hotshots, recognised for producing some of the best quality grenache in the country.
I've spoken with Marco in the past and by his own admission, he doesn’t follow trends and marketing’s not his strong point. But there is no doubt this down to earth, 9th generation winemaker is making some of the most underrated and under-priced wine in the Barossa - especially this one, which Marco describes as his every-day-drinker. He made it very clear that he believes it should be priced to be enjoyed as such. His pragmatic view, that it’s better to have an empty shed rather than one full of unsold wine before next vintage, explains the ridiculously affordable price of not just this wine, but Marco’s wines in general. This doesn’t endear him to some of his higher profile boutique Barossa neighbours, who regularly suggest he up his prices. It’ll come as no surprise that despite his lack of cool marketing, Marco has no trouble selling out of his wines every year.
Marco’s ancestors were wine growers in Calabria and it was his father Vincent, after whom this wine is named, who arrived in Australia as an 8-year-old boy back in 1946, just after the war. The Cirillos moved to the Light Pass district of the Barossa in 1969-70 when Vincent purchased what were, at the time, unloved vineyards containing the oldest surviving productive grenache and semillon vines in the world - planted in 1848! In true Italian style, Vincent made enough wine for family and friends, but sold the rest of his fruit to a who’s who of top Barossa wineries including; Penfolds, Torbreck, Rockford, Peter Lehmann and St Hallet.
Initially Marco resisted the lure of the wine business, but after a brief stint in the automotive industry, he returned to the fold in the late 90s. He spent time at Charles Sturt Uni as well as at several South Australian and Southern Rhône wineries. Of particular note was time spent at two of Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s legendary estates; Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe and Château Rayas. Wow! Marco returned to the family business, taking over from Vincent in 2000 and releasing the first commercial wine under the family name in 2003.
Marco’s a straight shooter and doesn’t suffer fools - attributes that have found him setting more than a few journos straight. And don’t get him started on “hipster garbage wine!” He doesn’t send samples to critics, or submit wines for awards, so you’ll understand why there’s hardly a mention of him in the press.
Marco makes two grenaches, this being his entry level one. The fruit was sourced from two plots, one planted in 1901 the other 1906. With vines this old, the fruit has to be handpicked to avoid damaging the vine, and it was done so in three tranches to obtain a judicious mixture of acid, tannin and ripeness. Clever. Marco uses natural yeasts and prefers minimal additions and minimal intervention - all things you might associate with a ‘natural’ winemaker, just don’t go calling him that. Marco describes himself more as an old-school winemaker with plenty of patience and common sense. He also stressed to me the significance of keeping his winery super clean - essential when making wine this way in order to prevent risk of bacterial spoilage.
The Cirillo Estate Vincent Grenache really has to be one of the most underrated wines in the country. 100% grenache and made with only a light touch of old oak, this wine is always fresh and bright. The wine was fermented in old-style open-top fermenters, and was softly pressed out post ferment, with two thirds spending between 6-8 months in large old oak, the remaining third in stainless steel. The wine was patiently gravity settled prior to bottling so no filtering was required. You can see just how clear it is. The finished wine is 14% alcohol and sealed with a screwcap.
"Deep, bright, glowing young purple-red colour, the bouquet fresh and vanilla/chocolate over raspberry fruit, with a grapy/sweet fruit bonbon-like aspect. Choc-mint hints. Delicious sweet ripe raspberry flavour, not complex but it’s all about bright, bold fruit. There’s a fine sheen of tannins providing structure while it already drinks superbly young. Great value. (Screwcap)."
92 points. Huon Hooke. The Real Review.
| SKU | 1CIRVINGR21 |
| Brand | Cirillo Estate |
| Shipping Weight | 1.5000kg |
Help other users shop smarter by writing reviews for products you have purchased.
