Aphelion Wait Grenache 2023

I was fortunate to be able to taste all of the new 2023 single vineyard wines from the Aphelion over the course of a few days. As a bunch, they all showed quite shy and tight out of the gates but as they lapped up oxygen, they slowly unfurled. On day two, they were open and expressive. What does this mean? (1) they'll cellar well, with no rush to drink these (2) if you're drinking these young, give them a good decant. As to the wines themselves, 'Wait' was again the pick of the bunch (the 2022 release was our ‘Wine of the Year’ for 2023). Wait is dark fruited with immeasurable depth of flavour. It grumbles with flavours of blackberry and soot. Aromatically it’s lifted and perfumed, with blue florals and a mountain herb freshness. Like last year, the class of the wine shines through in its tannin structure: the wine is so finely grained yet there is a silty, grippy nature to the tannins which is so appealing. In the mouth there is texture and expanse, all bundled up in an effortless package. Perhaps a slightly lighter wine than the 2022 release, but a great continuation of style. – Ches Cook, FWC.

Deeply coloured with an intense purple hue. Savoury aromatics of turned earth, root vegetable and dark cherry are subtle but have great depth. The palate is firm with a very savoury and slightly saline edge. Tannin is the most prominent of the three SV wines, it comes in waves and carries the savoury edge of the wine across the palate with great length. The longest palate of the three, this wine will stand up to a rich food pairing and will benefit with time in the cellar. Alphelion's notes.