Cirillo '1850' Ancestor Vine Grenache 2019

Stuart McCloskey, tasted 29 July 2026 "The first impression is one of remarkable purity and composure. Fragrant aromas of wild raspberry, Morello cherry, blood orange and dried rose petals rise effortlessly from the glass, intertwined with hints of Amaro bitters, exotic spice and the faintest suggestion of crushed herbs. Beneath the perfume lies a quiet mineral thread that anchors the wine with effortless grace. Quite simply, the aromatics are haunting in their beauty, soaring from the glass after just ten minutes of aeration.

The palate is beautifully poised, delivering extraordinary concentration without ever feeling heavy. Silky layers of red cherry, raspberry compote and pomegranate glide across the palate, supported by finely woven tannins that seem almost weightless. As the wine unfurls, savoury nuances of white pepper, dried thyme and earthy spice emerge, adding complexity without ever disturbing the wine's impeccable balance.

What captivates most is the wine's remarkable harmony. Every element sits perfectly in place. There is a wonderful transparency to the fruit, allowing this extraordinary vineyard to speak with absolute clarity. That sense of purity owes much to Marco’s confidence and restraint as a winemaker, allowing the vineyard to take centre stage. The finish is super-long, graceful and wonderfully persistent, leaving a lingering tapestry of red fruits, spice and haunting floral perfume.

This is Grenache in its purest and most wonderful form - a wine of immense history, profound elegance and unmistakable sense of place. Decant for an hour if opening today or cellar for 10–15 years. The flavours and textures simply soar, particularly when served in a generously proportioned Burgundy glass such as a Zalto. History alone would make this wine fascinating. The quality of what lies in the bottle elevates it to another level entirely. Quite simply, this ranks among the very finest Grenache I have tasted anywhere in the world. Without question."

99+ Points - Angus Hughson, Winepilot and Vinous “This stunning young 2019 Grenache Ancestor vine, from the country’s oldest vines for this variety delivers an almost perfect mix of pristine primary dark cherry and red licorice aromas lifted by layers of mountain herbs, red earth and meat spices with genuine concentration and focus. Young, compact and still a little shy, it has all the pieces in place with energetic flavours, beautiful composure and refinement yet with a firm base of gravelly tannins before gliding to a pristine finish of astounding length. With the perfume of the 2017 vintage combined with the density of tannins from a year marked by long periods of dry, warm to hot conditions, this is as good as Barossa Grenache gets and may achieve perfection in time.”

Some vineyards produce great wines. Others make history. Cirillo's remarkable Grenache is crafted from fruit grown on vines planted in 1848, from what is widely believed to be the oldest surviving Grenache vineyard on Earth.

Rooted in the deep sandy soils of the historic Light Pass district in the Barossa Valley, these ancient, own-rooted vines have been producing fruit for 178 years. Every bottle offers a direct connection to Australia's earliest viticultural history - a vineyard whose resilience, provenance and rarity are simply extraordinary.