When Spinifex first entered the scene in 2001, Esprit was a wine that had a profound impact on what we have now come to expect from the ‘new’ Barossa Valley. It’s a wine crafted with perfume, finesse and savoury structure at front of mind, and though the composition may change each year, the result is always a deeply impressive, characterful and complex wine. When it comes to quality and value, Esprit leaves its competitors in the dust.
As always, the wine was sourced from a selection (eight in total) of very old vineyards, mainly in Ebenezer, Williamstown and Bethany. Vine age ranges from 75 to more than 150 years, and all sites are dry-grown with minimal vineyard inputs—old vineyards grown the old way. This year's release is Grenache dominant (86%) with the balance made up of Shiraz (6%), Mataro (4%) and Cinsault (4%). Each parcel was fermented with indigenous yeast, and macerations varied from eight to 20 days. Maturation took place in a combination of stainless steel and well-seasoned 600 and 1200-litre barrels. The Grenache component was fermented as whole clusters.
The 2022 season in the Barossa was mild and long, “certainly cooler than the historical average” according to Pete Schell. Coupled with the high Grenache component, these moderate conditions have imparted a distinctly fresh and pure feel to this edition of Esprit. It’s a beautifully constructed wine; deft in weight, lithe in structure and delightfully moreish in the mouth. Bistro wine is a term often overused; here it fits.