Les Fruits, Gonzo 2020 750ml

Vineyard: Young Cinsault and 50+-year-old Grenache from Wayne Ahrens’ Vine Vale block in the eastern Barossa Valley. Relatively flat with consistent deep sand over clay soil. Certified Biodynamic. Sauzão sourced from Ashley Ratcliff’s organically managed block on Ricca Terra Farms in Barmera, in the heart of the Riverland. Red-brown loam over limestone soil.

Making of: Sauzão was direct pressed to minimize color uptake and fermented in a small steel tank without intervention. Cinsault and Grenache crates were carefully emptied into 1 tonne open Jarrah vats in layers to keep berries intact for a 2-week carbonic fermentation. The ferments are then fouléed (foot tread) for 3 days before pressing and finishing the primary fermentation in tanks. Wines were blended once all dry and run to used French oak barrels, 300l and 1100l in size. Racked after 10 months, small sulfur addition. Stored cold in tanks until bottling February 2021. Unfined, unfiltered.

Winemaker's Note: “I wanted to make a light red with texture and tang. Grenache brings the fruit and Cinsault the tang. Carbonic fermentation the texture. The addition of Sauzão this year was a one-off due to the small 2020 yields. It blended in well bringing a mineral accent and acidity. This is currently my most popular wine. Eminently drinkable.”