| NEW RELEASE | 2018 Western Ridge Grenache Carignan
by Jess Ruciack
You know how you’re not meant to have a favourite child. I feel like the same goes when you have the pleasure of working at a winery – and I don’t have a favourite Elderton wine – but I do have a very large soft spot for this wine, the Western Ridge Grenache Carignan.
It’s just so darn tasty!
And it matches perfectly with buffalo milk blue cheese I’m snacking on as I write this, so when I’m having to choose a wine for an afternoon with my favourite cheese I always pick this one.
James Halliday loves it too:
A wolf in sheep’s clothing, it is at once savoury and fruity, the mouthfeel that of the grapes ex very old vines, an intangible thing.
95 Points – Halliday Wine Companion 2020
We’re excited to let you know that the 2018 vintage is now available for you to pop into your wine rack/cellar.
SHOP NOW
Food matches
When we first released this wine, our former winemaker Richard starred in a video tasting note. My favourite line from the video: “I like it with game food, but I eat a lot of dead animal!”
Has me in stitches every.single.time.
He is indeed a lover of game meats, but also notes that it matches well with Asian foods or something similar that needs a vibrant, attractive wine. At our recent 15CLUB dinner, we paired the 2014 vintage with squid ink pasta, broad beans, calamari and black lip abalone! YUM! And as I mentioned earlier, it also pairs well with blue cheese if you’re more in the mood for a platter of delicious goodies.
Carig-what?
This is our sixth release of Western Ridge Grenache Carignan. But if you’ve not heard of Carignan as a grape variety, you’re not alone. Wine Folly have a great, easy-to-understand run down on the variety which brings red fruit and umami flavours to the table.
The name is French, but the variety is thought to originate in Spain, where it’s known as Cariñena. If you’re interested in some more history on Carignan, Decanter have an interesting article.
Carignan fun fact from Jancis Robinson
“…it was the single most common vine variety planted in … France until it was overtaken by Merlot at the end of the 20th century…”
The vineyard – where the wine begins
The Western Ridge Grenache Carignan is made from fruit from our Greenock vineyard, in the west of the Barossa Valley. This vineyard was added to the Elderton family in 2010. The 60 acre vineyard has plantings back to 1915 and a terroir that has been in demand by many of the Barossa’s elite winemakers. The Grenache was planted in 1969 and Carignan in 1915.
Check out this stunning shot of our Grenache block, captured by Dragan Radocaj.
The details – 2018 Western Ridge Grenache Carignan
Grenache (78%) Carignan (22%)
Style: A stunningly pretty and textural wine
Colour: Light red
Aroma & palate: Luscious strawberries and cream
Vineyard Source: Estate grown – Greenock
Vine Age: Grenache planted 1969, Carignan planted 1915
Oak: Old French puncheons, 8 months
Cellaring: Drink now or cellar confidently for 5+ years from vintage
SHOP NOW
Head to the 2018 Western Ridge Grenache Carignan product page on our online wine store
Cheers!
