Kay Brothers 'Griffon’s Key' Reserve Grenache 2019

Griffons are powerful and majestic creatures that have the body, tail and hind legs of a lion and the head, talons and wings of an eagle. They symbolise divine power and are known for guarding treasure and priceless possessions. The key held in the griffon’s beak is believed to refer to the griffon’s role as a guardian as well as the Kay name. We felt that symbolism of the Griffon matched this premium Grenache perfectly.

The fruit was hand-picked from a remarkably expressive parcel in the Amery vineyard. Artisanal winemaking ensures a rich, concentrated and powerful style reflecting its name and character. Tread carefully past the mythological ‘king of creatures’ and discover the drinking pleasure it is guarding.

Vintage 2018 began with good winter and early spring rainfall, preparing the vines for the summer ahead. In late spring, the weather began to warm up and flowering conditions were moderate, but later than most years. The summer was extremely dry and veraison was late to commence, but came on quickly as temperatures in late January rose. The final ripening period of February and early March continued to be dry, however temperatures were mild and conditions were ideal for steady ripening and flavour development.

The vineyard has a North-Eastern exposure. Soils are shallow, red sandy loam over complex geology comprising quartz and ironstone gravels, weathered and calcareous sandstone, siltstone and limestone. The best parcels of hand-picked Grenache were selected from the Amery vineyard, then open-fermented and hand plunged for 9 days on skins, prior to traditional basket pressing in our 1928 press. The wine matured a further 11 months in aged French oak puncheons.