Wine Composition
100% Grenache
Winemakers Comments
The Rza Block fruit gives a very clear backbone of darker fruit here; all red fruits (rather than black), but Winter red fruits like cranberry and pomegranate in addition to the Summer strawberries and cherries. The structure of the very old vines is also on display, holding together a fantastic nugget of ripe fruit on the palate. White pepper, mint, sweet meats and earth.
Technical Analysis
Alcohol Percentage
14.5%
Cellar Techniques
The 2016 was the first vintage that fruit was used from the Rza Block, with the remaining fruit being sourced from a single vineyard approximately 80-85 years old. Thanks to healthy fruit set, even ripening and the addition of older fruit from the Rza Block, the winery bumped the whole cluster to 35% this year. After a 7 day ferment, it was basket pressed over a slow 12 hour press cycle, and the wine spent a year in old French oak before being bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Winemaker(s)
Name - Carla & Richard Rza Betts
Winery
An Approach To Relaxation is the Brand, Richard and Carla Betts are the winemakers and this wine is simple delicious. This pair are American born, living in Amsterdam making wine in Barossa Valley Australia. They bought the RZA Block in the Vine Vale of Barossa because it is one of the oldest Grenache Vineyards in the world. Along with its age it is also dry and organically farmed. They believe in minimal intervention for the wine and to simply let the grapes combined with a bit of old French Oak to do its thing.