Medium ruby color; plum, strawberry, raspberry, cranberry, green apple, blood orange, orange blossom, white pepper on the nose and palate.
Dry; mild, tight tannins, crunchy acidity. Medium body. Bright, juicy, tense on the palate. Excellent acidity. Not fruit forward, no oak to allow the pure grenache to be the star. Grenache grown on bush vines planted in 2016 in schist/limestone-based soils. Fruit hand-picked. The vineyard blocks are NASAA certified organic and biodynamic. Some 60% of grapes were whole bunch fermented. All fermentation and aging in concrete, not oak. 14.6% ABV
Alkina has a minimalist winemaking philosophy. The website explains: “Everything we do in the winery is designed to protect the integrity of the fruit and the source block or polygon. Winemaking is pared back so that the imprint of the winemaker is barely perceptible and we avoid what we think are the six enemies of terroir wine: over-ripening, over-extraction, invasive oak, synthetic chemicals, the winemaker’s ego and market-led winemaking. This is our interpretation of making the most ‘Barossan’ wine that we can.”
Website notes: “Alkina is a new story on an old place. We seek to understand, nurture and ultimately express this beautiful land in its wines, its values and its experiences for visitors and drinkers. Our certified organic and biodynamic farm sits on the traditional lands of the Ngadjuri people and we seek to honour the land’s Aboriginal history and to learn from their regenerative farming philosophy. We have 43ha of vines planted to Grenache, Shiraz, Mataro and Semillon, with the oldest vines dating from the 1950s.”
Alkina Kin Grenache, Barossa Valley 2021 is bright, juicy effort from a superb vintage in the Barossa Valley. Red fruit galore, crunchy acidity, good balance. Certified organic vineyards reflects Alkina’s commitment to environmentally responsible viticulture. Pair with grilled or roasted lamb. Barbecued meats—beef, pork, chicken. Beef stews and casseroles. Tomato-based pasta dishes. Grilled vegetables; grilled, roasted mushrooms; grilled portobello mushrooms, king oyster mushrooms. Cheese—manchego, aged cheddar, gouda, comté, pecorino, gruyère. $21-23
