2024 Una Vita Grenache Blanc
Introducing the 2024 Una Vita Grenache Blanc.Â
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Ricca Terra was one of the first vineyards in Australia to plant Grenache Blanc. This variety was selected on its merits for its ability to thrive in a warm and dry climate, as well as its capacity to create textual, rich, and amazing wines.
Ricca Terra produced its first Grenache Blanc in 2018 with the Entav-Inra 143 clone. This small 3Ha vineyard, based outside the township of Barmera, South Australia, is completely hard pruned. Grown on a single cordon wire, with the canopy supported by a single pair of catching wires, with the aim to slightly expose the clusters to a small amount of direct sunlight. The soil of the vineyard is red loam over a sheet of limestone, perfect for growing Grenache Blanc.
Origins of this grape variety can be traced back to the Rhône Valley and northern Spain. A stable mutation of Grenache Noir, it shows similar viticultural characteristics as the red wine Grenache that many consumers are commonly aware of today, that being extremely drought, heat tolerant, and wine distinctive in flavour.
This variety tends to ripen surprisingly quickly when weather conditions are favourable. The 2024 Una Vita Grenache Blanc was hand harvested at a Baume that allows for the creating of wine, moderate in alcohol (12.2% alc/vol), yet still delivering soft and powerful palate weight. Once harvested into half-tonne grape bins, the fruit is stored in cooling rooms before being transported to the winery via a refrigerated truck.
WINEMAKING
The grapes are softly de-stemmed and fermented in new and seasoned French oak barrels (80% new). Only natural yeast is used to ferment the grape sugars into alcohol. In barrel, the wine is mixed with yeast lees to increase the complexity and softness of the wine. Over a period of twelve months, the 2024 Una Vita Grenache Blanc is allowed to age and develop flavours that originate from the grapes and are complemented by the lightly toasted French oak. No animal products are used in the making of this wine, making it vegan friendly.
THE WINE
First impressions of this wine, via the packaging alone, "suggest the Riverland is being viewed through new and exciting lenses!" This is a ‘statement and somewhat a disruptive wine’ at every level. The deeply punted bottle, waxed neck, and natural cork does not pretend to be anything else except prestigious. The light and inviting golden colour leads to aromas of white peach, creamy butter and mandarin pith. The palate has great length, generosity and warmth, which is a delight considering the relatively low alcohol of the wine.
PAIRING AND CELLARING
The richness and complexity of the 2024 Una Vita Grenache Blanc allows pairing with a wide array of foods and occasions. For the Ricca Terra team, the perfect setting would be freshly caught yabbies, cooked on a remote sandbar along the Murray River after a day of water skiing. Cellaring this wine in appropriate conditions (cool and dark) will see flavours evolve and mature. The patient drinker will be rewarded after ten years.
Notes
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