Spinifex Tannat 2019

Spinifex Tannat is a one-off Adelaide Hills red from a vineyard that no longer exists.

Tannat came out of the Basque country but made its name in Madiran, in France's south-west, where it produces some of the sturdiest reds in the country. This bottling came from the Bowe Lees vineyard in the Adelaide Hills, which burnt in the 2020 bushfires, making 2019 the last of it. Pete Schell credits the vineyard work: repeated shoot thinning, hand-managed canopy, two green harvests and hand picking. The grapes were fully destemmed, fermented with indigenous yeast in open fermenters, hand-plunged and given 10 days on skins, then raised on light lees for 10 months in thick-staved puncheons, a third of them new.

Amply flavoured but surprisingly light on its feet, with dark cherry, ink and an iodine edge, racy acid and firm spicy tannin. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees. Rib eye is the obvious call; cassoulet or duck confit also work.

*Every effort is made to ensure the current vintage is accurate; however, variations can occur. If you are after a specific vintage, please contact us prior to ordering.