Product Description
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Schwarz Wine Co., The Grower, GSM, 2020, 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.
“The Grower” range is dedicated to all the Growers that Jason works with, whose hard work and dedication to their craft enable him to purchase luscious fruit year after year. The Grower range is a testament to the amazing growers Jason has forged long-term relationships with since 2001.
Viticulture
Sourced from growers. The fruit for this wine was grown over six sub regions in the Barossa Valley; from Moppa in the north to Hallett’s Valley in the south with Bethany as the dominant sub region. The fruit was sourced from seven growers from vineyards in Bethany, Vine Vale, Hallett’s Valley, Gomersal and Moppa.
Winemaking
The fruit was harvested dependant on ripeness and flavour with the Grenache and Mataro parcels all hand-picked. The first pick of fruit for this vintage was on the 27th of February 2020 from my family’s Grenache vineyard with the final parcel of Shiraz picked on the 17th of March 2020. All fruit was fermented in small, open top fermenters for approximately 8-15 days with wild yeast (naturally occurring yeast from the vineyard) Pump overs, hand plunging, and foot stomping was carried out as required.
10% of the finished blend is whole bunch (bunches of grapes added to the fermentation tank without the berries removed from the stalk. This process assists with tannin structure as the stalks break down in the fermentation process) The ferments were then softly pressed and kept separately until initial blending in March 2021 with final blending occurring June 2021. 35% of the blend was matured in small tanks, maintaining the freshness and vibrancy of the wine, with the remaining parcels matured in French oak vats, puncheons and hogsheads.
Tasting Note
Shows the quality of both the vintage and the fruit. Schwarz’s GSM has never been a huge wine but this one is bang on for mid-weight feel. Red plums, strawberries, blueberries, and black fruits all in the mix and a really nice firm stoniness to it too. Tastes like each part of its G, S and M, the palate is full but not heavy, nice, and smoky with just enough heft behind the fruit.
Goes well with
Perfect with cheese or chocolate desserts.
Cellaring
Will continue to improve with careful cellaring for up to 10 plus years.
Don’t just take our word for it…
96 Points (Gold) – Winestate Magazine 2021 New Release Wine Show
94 Points (Gold) – Wine Showcase Magazine 2021 New Release Tasting
Features
Varieties: Grenache 51%, Shiraz 46%, Mataro 3%
Colour: Red
ABV: 14.3%
Closure: Screwcap
Style: Still Wine
Case Size: 12 x 75cl
Country: Australia
Region: Barossa Valley
Vintage: 2020
