Afternoon Roll Grenache

Wines for Today, Tonight and Tomorrow

The Afternoon Roll is inspired by those relaxed hours spent with friends, where time seems to slow and laughter flows as easily as wine, this Grenache captures the warmth and ease of life’s simplest pleasures.

Grown on a sun-drenched slope in Watervale, Clare Valley, the vineyard’s red loam over limestone and gentle elevation provide a canvas for a wine that’s both playful and precise.

Afternoon Roll offers a beautifully textured wine: bright, balanced, and versatile. Its soft tannins and silky acidity make it a joy to drink slightly chilled, alone or with good food and better company.

Like a familiar tune or a well-loved view, Afternoon Roll evokes a kind of nostalgia—reminding us that some of life’s best moments are unplanned, unhurried, and shared with others. It’s a bottle meant for stories, smiles, and the glow of a late afternoon sun.

Grenache is reflective of season and soil, just as a fond memory is anchored to a time and place.  Relaxed days and old friends are still memorable every time we stop on the green for an afternoon roll. Soft, enveloping and bright, this wine is as welcoming as a warm memory. 

Viticulture 

The 2023 vintage began early, with flowering a couple weeks ahead of expectation. This early set was ideal as the mild temperatures through the summer allowed the bunches extra time on the vine and sunshine. The young vines weathered this well as the less dense canopy allow for higher levels of sunlight to develop the fruit flavours without over producing sugars. This allowed the bright varietal flavour expressions while remaining a more medium bodied wine, reminiscent of traditional cooler climates.

Vineyard Specifics 
Location – Watervale, Clare Valley; South Australia      

Elevation – 390 metres
Average Vine Age – 3 years     

Soil – Red Loam over Limestone    

Single Vineyard- Dry Grown 

Winemaking 

Hand-picked on the 23rd of April as the sun rose, the whole bunches were delivered to the winery.

With 20% of the bunches tipped directly into the small open top fermenter, the remaining bunches were de-stemmed and crushed on top. The must was chilled to 8 degrees overnight and then allowed to naturally warm and naturally initiate fermentation over the next few days. Once the cap  lifted, the cap was gently plunged twice a day with an additional pump over at the height of fermentation. Full malolactic conversion occurred while on skins before being basket pressed, settled and transferred to French and Hungarian puncheon (500ltr barrels).

Technical Information
Alcohol – 14.0%          

Residual Sugar – 0.64 g/L                

Acidity – 5.7 g/L 
Matured in predominantly aged French puncheons as well as a Hungarian hogs head (300 Ltr) barrel. This wine received 5% new oak. 

Bottled November 6, 2024

Sensory 

Appearance: Light ruby with a radiant clarity, showing youthful vibrancy.

Nose: A perfumed bouquet of fresh strawberries and red currants, intertwined with notes of crushed rose hip

Palate: Medium-bodied with great balance. The acidity highlights the fresh red fruit character and has flavours of ripe raspberries, cranberry compote, and a delicate spiciness lead to a soft, elegant structure.

Finish: Refreshing and clean, with lingering notes of red berries and a whisper of dried herbs.

Pairing Suggestions: Pairs effortlessly with most pork dishes or be adventurous and pair with tuna sashimi

Overall Impression: A lively and approachable Grenache, perfect for casual afternoons yet complex enough to intrigue

Serving 

This wine shows best in a wide Burgundy Glass and served slightly chilled below room temperature - allowed to warm in the drinker’s glass. This will allow the wine to truly blossom and provided the drinker the full experience of the variety and its evolution over the course of a bottle. This wine has been crafted by the winemaker in the mind of serving while it is young and fresh- however, with the ideal growing season and the wines bright intensity and finely balanced tannin, this wine will mature into the future. 

Tasted by Tom & Pete
December 4, 2024

TOPE – Wine for Today, Tonight and Tomorrow.