This Grenache vineyard was planted in the 1880s, making the bush vines about 130 years old, so while it has seen three centuries—the 19th, 20th, and 21st—the wine’s “Tri-centenary” name seems a bit of a stretch. The site is dry-farmed, and the fruit for this cuvée is hand picked and fermented with cultured yeast in open-top stainless tanks. The wine spent seven months in mostly used 300L French oak barrels.
It’s a deep ruby color with a clear rim and issues aromas of cedar, rosemary, red cherries, tea, leather, and cassis. The palate offers firm acidity and notes of licorice, woodsy cherries, and pine. The extract is deep and heady, but the finish disappears with a sharp kick.
A little rambunctious now, it needs a few years to settle down. Pair it with smoked or roasted meats, braises with abundant seasoning spice (braai rub, chipotle, smoked paprika), or earthy, aged cheeses.
14.1% abv | $55 (sample)
