2023 The Grainery

Ravensworth The Grainery
Collection: Estate
Vintage: 2023
GI: Canberra District
Vineyard source: Estate
Blend: 48% Viognier, 32% Marsanne, 20% Roussanne
Harvest date: 17th April
Processing: Destemmed and pressed to 600l demi muids for fermentations and first year. then transferred to 2000l foudre for second year
Élevage: 2 years
Vessels: Ermitage demi muids, Stockinger foudre
Vintage conditions: Another cool year, very wet early that kept us on our toes in the vineyard. Was a year for patience, faith and gumboots.
Bottling date: April 2025
Production: 220 dozen
Cellaring: 10 - 15 years and beyond
Something interesting: Each variety is very different: Viognier very thick skinned; Marsanne, thin skinned that looks brown brown when ripe; Roussanne, looks like semilon and carries most of the acidity of the three.
Drink with: Great with seafood, particularly shellfish, also works with savoury cheese

Aromatically, the wine leads with yellow peach, pineapple and star anise; in the background, there's a suggestion of mineral turpentine layered with white tea, sweet mint and brine. In the mouth, the wine speaks of its élevage, with toasted nuts in profusion, intermingled with white chocolate, flowers and really great length. While I may comment that the oak is pronounced here, the wine is complex, long, layered and powerful. It has really great shape and length. It's very good, a wine for the future. It has an attractive Rhône Valley stamp. 12.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate Dec 2025 94 points.