Jauma 'Abig' Blewitt Springs Dry Grown Grenache 2010
James Erskine is pretty well known in wine circles: 2009 Gourmet Traveller Australian Sommelier of the Year, founder of the South Australian chapter of Sommeliers Australia, Len Evans scholar, flautist with the Natural Selection Theory. And to that list add winemaker.
Blewitt Springs is an unofficial sub-region of McLaren Vale. Only 22 cases made, this Grenache is harvested from a Westerly facing aspect of the vineyard. 'Abig' is German for evening, a reference to the setting sun the vineyard faces.
All ferments are wild; no sulphur, enzymes or fining agents, acids or tannins are added. The wine is not filtered and a minimal addition of sulphur at bottling to give the wine some chance of survival. Not much luck round these parts.
Rich, ripe aromas; black and dark fruits. Intense fore palate, with a meaty - nigh leathery -feel to it. Almost paradoxically the wine then takes on a smoothness through the middle, exhibiting a creaminess.
The finish shows depth, it's persistent for sure. There's a touch of spice, some liquorice root. Good balance, it wears its alcohol well.
Source: Retail, The Wine Emporium
Price: $?
Alcohol: 14.8%
Closure: Diam with Wax Seal
Website: http://www.jauma.com/
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And he's a fantastically nice guy. Here's an article I wrote for the Sunday Mail a couple of weeks ago about him and his mate Anton from Lucy Margaux: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/new-age-wines-that-take-the-pip/story-e6frea83-1226082021155
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