It is impossible to write about this release without acknowledging the profound loss of Peter Fraser. As the driving force behind Yangarra for over 25 years, Pete didn’t just make wine; he fundamentally shifted the conversation around Australian Grenache. He believed in its “purity, beauty and elegance,” and the 2024 Old Vine Grenache stands as a fitting ode to that vision.Sourced from the “gnarly strugglers” planted in 1946 on the deep North Maslin Sands of Blewitt Springs, a block affectionately known as “The Beach”, it captures the precise site expression Pete was obsessed with. The 2024 season brought a shift to El Niño warmth, punctuated by unexpected summer rain, resulting in fruit with incredible flavour development.The winemaking remains true to the blueprint he perfected. The fruit was hand-picked and fermented with wild yeast, retaining 50% whole berries for aromatic lift. Crucially, the wine saw extended maceration for up to two and a half months to polish the tannins, followed by maturation in a complex mix of ceramic eggs, amphora and large oak foudres.The result is emphatic. It is complex, perfumed and structural, carrying the trademark sandy tannins that define the estate. It is a serious, world-class wine and a beautiful rendition of a wine Peter loved making.
94 points“Raspberry frogs, cherry, almond paste, spice and dried flowers… Lovely wine…”– Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)
94+ points“It’s a ripping drink, decidedly good value in the overall scheme of things, charismatic and charming.”– Campbell Mattinson
