This is the wine if you are on the hunt for a lighter and more unique expression of Grenache that has been popularized by the vanguard of McLaren Vale and Adelaide Hills young-guns. This wine is fascinating with a fine-boned, unique perfume; a storm of amaro and crushed herb notes amongst the just ripe cherry fruit profile. It is named ‘Rookie’ as it was the first (and only) wine that Uffe made when they started out in 2016. The 2022 vintage, like 2021, had a mild summer without heatwave conditions. January and February saw zero days above 40°C, and these mild conditions continued into a warm autumn.
The fruit comes from the ‘Lot 13 Vineyard’ in Willunga right off of Hanh Road. The fruit was handpicked and fermented 100% whole-cluster with ambient yeast in small one ton fermenters. The bunches were very tight and foot stomping turned basically into a trampoline party trying to break up the berries. After two weeks on skins the wine was pressed and transferred to neutral French barriques for 5 months of aging with monthly battonage. It was racked to tank, hit with a small dose of sulfur, bottled by hand and left to age for an additional month. It was bottled unfined and unfiltered.