The idea for a low-sulphur, unfiltered grenache had been bubbling away for a few years and in 2017, access to the right fruit from an old dry-grown vineyard sparked the Basso project to life.
The 2021 vintage is their most beguiling to date. Perfumed, poised and pretty with violets, raspberry, rhubarb, pink musk sticks, lilac, exotic timber and brick dust. It delivers a balance between acid, tannin, and abundant fruit after a touch of air. A powerful reminder of why we love Grenache.
"This pours a lovely, limpid medium red-garnet, while ripe red berry fruit, pure and fresh, wafts out of the glass, intense and immediately engaging. I love the silky palate, the fine-grained tannins, the lush mouthfeel yet all nicely contained and focused through the long finish, lovely in the end without notable wood interference. There's a gentle tug of saltiness on the palate that bolsters the sweet fruit impression. Admittedly the label doesn't send a premium message in my view, but the wine inside certainly is. Drink or hold 3-5 years." Tasted September 2024.
93 points – John Szabo, MS, Wine Align
