Clarendon, Blewitt Springs || McLaren Vale
55% Syrah, 45% Grenache
14% Alc
A very late harvest.Cool and cloudy. Winter rainfall was good,and the wet conditions continued into Spring. Summer was mild without any extended heatwave periods. Cloudy weather returned during the ripening period. A nervous period of waiting ensued as grape phenolic ripening was particularly slow. 2023 was not a vintage in which to over cropn or to panic and pick too early. Patience was the name of the game.The resulting wines are a littlelower in alcohol, higher in fresh acidity and show wonderful fragrance.
Harvest dates 7th of March(Grenache), 4th of April (Syrah) and 5th of April (Grenache). All parcels were fermented and matured seperately. An average of 5% whole bunches added to small open fermenters. Remaining fruit destemmed (not crushed) and machine-sorted to remove shrivelled berries. Cold soaked for 3-6 days prior to the beginning of extended natural fermentation (no yeast added). Gently pumped over with the aim of minimising over-extraction of aggressive tannin and other undesireable compounds.Basket pressed to aged French oak (500L)and concrete tank for maturation. Aged on fine lees with no sulphur additions until completion of malolactic fermentation (July 2023). Racking in August 2023 and March 2024. The components were blended together and bottled in July 2024.
What better than a marriage of McLaren Vale's two hero varieties? A blend of Syrah and Grenache, this wine rests equidistant between the fragrance of our Grenache and the mouth-filling generosity of our Syrah. It exhibits the soft, silky texture that we see as the signature of all our wines.
96 points - James Suckling
95 points - Halliday Wine Companion
94 points - Wine Advocate
17+ points - JancisRobinson.com
Bekkers McLaren Vale Syrah Grenache 2023
Halliday Wine Companion 5 Red Star
"In McLaren Vale, South Australia, the Bekkers story is born of a rare connection with nature and a world of experience. We have been fortunate to encounter some of the best the wine world has to offer, but nothing has diminished our conviction that McLaren Vale can deliver world class wines. We aim to be an emblem for fine wine in our region. Our wines are gently crafted in tiny quantities, with an accent on finesse and fine texture. We strive to inspire confidence and push the limits of what’s possible for McLaren Vale and Australian wine. Our fine wines are loved by devotees world-wide with whom we have formed strong relationships. They share an appreciation for craftsmanship infused with the efforts and soul of the maker. As small family winemaker, we aspire to stand proud amid the world’s most coveted wines and their craftsmen.
This is a story of special wine……from the soil to the soul."