30thAugust 2022
Our winemakers Alex Peel and Peter Atyeo were all smiles on Friday night, accepting the Greenock Tavern Trophy for Best Grenache at the 2022 Marananga Wine Show for the 2021 Cornerstone Grenache.
The Marananga Wine Show is unquestionably a one of a kind. Not only is it Australia’s only wine show dedicated to the wines of a single sub region, in this case wines from the Western Barossa. It’s also the only wine show in Australia initiated and staged by a Church – St Michael’s Gnadenfrei Lutheran Church, just to the west of the village of Marananga where you’ll find our cellar door on Seppeltsfield Road.
“It might be a small show, but our wines are judged against those of our neighbours and peers. The Western Barossa is home to plenty of famous names, and some of the Barossa Valley’s best red wines. For Peter and I, it’s a great result, rewarding the work in the vineyard and winery to produce a best in class Barossa Valley Grenache.” said Alex Peel, Chief Winemaker for Greenock Creek since 2019.
The Cornerstone Grenache vineyard is fondly referred to as ‘Hopeless Hill’; a place where only Grenache and weeds will survive! The sloping, east facing 2 acre block is primarily hard quartz rock, with a thin veneer of around 4 mm of loam. Tucked below a ridge of straggly gums, the vineyard is mercifully protected from the hot north-westerly winds and late afternoon sun, with gully breezes that creep up the south east line of the creek at the bottom of block helping to keep the fruit in top condition through a long ripening season. An almost impossibly good place to produce immaculate Barossa Valley Grenache.
“Our main aim with the Cornerstone Grenache is to respect what is a very special place to grow Grenache. It’s tough country on that site, which produces small, thick skinned berries. The aim is to make a very fruit driven wine in the classic Greenock Creek style, with the added complexity of spice and savoury undertones gained from the thicker skins and high skin to juice ratio. A wine that is immensely drinkable now, but will add layers of flavours with time in the bottle.” said Alex.
The 2021 Cornerstone Grenache is priced at $40 a bottle, and will be available for tasting and purchase from our Marananga Cellar Door from Saturday 17 September 2022.
