The Custodian Grenache
⏳ Drinking Window
2022 - 2028
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Slow-roasted lamb shoulder, Peking duck, or a hearty ratatouille.
✨ Technical Specifications
The Custodian Grenache is a tribute to the survival of old-vine Grenache in McLaren Vale. During the 1980s, when the South Australian government sponsored a vine-pull scheme to eradicate what was then considered an unfashionable grape, d'Arenberg refused to pull up their precious old vines, acting as 'custodians' of this historic variety. Today, these resilient, deep-rooted dry-grown vines yield fruit of incredible concentration and character. The winemaking remains resolutely traditional: grapes are gently crushed in open fermenters, foot-trodden, and basket-pressed before aging in a mix of old French and American oak barriques. This process preserves the vibrant, spicy red fruit character and earthy complexity that defines classic McLaren Vale Grenache.
🍾 About the Producer
Founded in 1912 by Joseph Osborn, d'Arenberg has grown into one of McLaren Vale's most iconic and storied family-owned estates in South Australia. Under the visionary stewardship of fourth-generation winemaker Chester Osborn, the winery adheres strictly to traditional, sustainable methods, utilizing certified organic and biodynamic viticulture along with foot-treading and basket pressing. Renowned for its eclectic naming conventions and distinctive red-stripe label, the estate crafts a wide spectrum of expressive wines with a particular mastery of Rhône varieties, old-vine Grenache, and robust Shiraz. Signature bottlings such as 'The Dead Arm Shiraz' and 'The Ironstone Pressings' stand as benchmarks of regional depth, complexity, and age-worthy character.
🍇 Grape Varieties
Grenache
🍷 Alcohol By Volume (ABV)
14.0% - 14.5%