Product Description
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Schwarz Wine Co., Meta, Grenache Blanc, 2022, Barossa Valley, South Australia
Producer Profile
While not holding any formal qualifications in winemaking, Jason’s appetite for the subject was voracious and he was lucky to learn from some of the Barossa’s finest winemakers until finally, after some encouragement from friends he approached his father to discuss buying a small parcel of the fruit from the 2001 vintage. He agreed and Jason put together his first Nitschke Block Shiraz, making only two hogs head barrels. In 2002 Jason produced his first Thiele Road Grenache and have made both wines every vintage since. To this day Jason’s parents have supported his venture and without their encouragement and the sacrifice of some of the Barossa’s greatest Shiraz and Grenache he could not have made this dream happen.
Relationships with some of the Barossa’s finest vignerons have grown over the years and having access to some of the region’s best old-vine fruit allows Jason to take a hands-off, intuitive approach in the winery.
Jason’s minimal intervention winemaking style enables him to create small-batch wines that are not mainstream – they are new-age expressions of Barossa classics, designed to allow the fruit to speak for itself and tell a story through the glass.
“Meta: An abstraction from a well-known concept”
Viticulture
The fruit for this wine comes from Jason’s family’s vineyards in Bethany.
Winemaking
Jason Schwarz on making the 2022 Grenache Blanc – “As my first foray into Grenache Blanc, I was looking to make a wine that had fruit and texture without carrying some of the alcoholic fatness that can come with Grenache Blanc. I personally handpicked the fruit on the 8th March, when the flavours were changing from citrus to green apples to tropical fruits. The fruit was cold stored overnight then half was crushed with no de-stemming and the other half was de-stemmed before crushing. The fruit was macerated in grape bins until there was good texture coming from the stalks and skins with rich flavours in the juice, time on skins was 9 hours. The fruit was then pressed to tank and racked 48 hours later off gross lees. Wild yeast started fermentation three days later and then the wine was pumped to French Oak. Once sugar dry the lees were stirred regularly to give extra texture to the wine and Malo lactic fermentation was allowed to occur to give richness to the wine. SO2 was added post Malo. The wine was racked to tank mid-August stabilised and filtered prior to bottling. Vegan friendly”.
Tasting Note
Winemaker Jason Schwarz’s comments – “Incredibly cleansing and crisp, yet textural from the mid palate giving the wine weight and allowing the flavours of honeysuckle, white nectarine and blood orange to flow through. On the nose there are hints of yellow pear, apricot and lychee”.
Goes well with
Rainbow Chard and Corn Fritters with Herbed Goat Cheese Sauce.
Cellaring
Will continue to improve with careful cellaring for 4-6 years.
Features
Varieties: Grenache Blanc 100%
Colour: White
ABV: 13%
Closure: Screwcap
Style: Still Wine
Case Size: 12 x 75cl
Country: Australia
Region: Barossa Valley
Vintage: 2022
