Kaesler ‘Avignon’ Grenache / Mourvèdre 2020
Grape Varietals: 75% Grenache, 25% Mourvèdre
Growing Region: Nuriootpa, Barossa Valley - Australia
*Winemakers: *Reid Bosward & Stephen Dew
Beautifully nurtured old vines are a hallmark of Kaesler wines. The ‘Avignon’ in most years is typically a GSM blend of 92-year-old Grenache & Mourvèdre and 130yr Shiraz, though this 2020 vintage was a blend of just two. If you find yourself in South-Australia, I encourage you to make the short trip to the Barossa Valley and Kaesler. The team are working with some of the oldest vines in the world. Plus an incredibly diverse selection of oak barrels to frame and compliment their generous ‘old vine’ expressions. The vine age from which this wine was sourced, came from 92-year-old Grenache and Mourvèdre vines.
The name Avignon is a cheeky (yet respectful) nod to the great French wines of the Southern Rhône Valley, crafted from Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. These are the backbone of famous blends such as Châteauneuf-du-Pape, just up the river from the city of Avignon. Due to the age and fragility of these gnarly bush vines, the fruit was carefully hand-picked. On arrival into the winery, the different fruit parcels spent nearly 2 weeks on skins (20% whole bunches), with the cap being pumped over twice a day. After vinification, the wine was pressed off and allowed to settle for 2 days before being transferred into varied ages of French oak barrels. The oak barrels used for this ‘Avignon’ blend were 3-4 years of age and had 15 months of barrel maturation.
★ On the hypnotic nose you have inviting aromas of dark berries, infused spice, liquorice, dried herbs and a hint of tobacco. The palate is generous and engaging, with a smooth fine-grained texture, balanced tannins and a dexterous oak structure resulting in a stylish mouth feel. The ripe dark berries express a captivating personality, complimented by a good splash of allspice, dark cacao and charred red peppers giving this sorcerous, early drinking Barossa red blend a lavish dismount.
This 2020 Kaesler ‘Avignon’ Grenache / Mourvèdre has 14.5% Alc./vol. A classic dry style. Decant for 30-40 minutes and serve in an appropriate shaped wine glass at 16°- 18°C. • *NZ$69.00
CELLARING POTENTIAL: *(Review 6/3/25)
With mild decanting, drinking perfectly well this season; plus, will age nicely for another 5 - 6 years.
FOOD PAIRING SUGGESTIONS:
Perfect wine pairing with bbq’d and slow cooked mild-marble meats, lamb ribs, nicely seasoned thin-based pizzas and varied pasta dishes w/ a wine sauce, kebabs and earthy vegetarian dishes - enjoy.
