This story of this wine is extraordinarily long, so I need to be careful not to bore. Basically I spent some formative years in Lyndoch in the Barossa Valley. Our friends and next door neighbours one day decided to move out of the town to a small property on top of a hill nearby. They planted a grenache vineyard in the 1970's just as the SA Government was paying people to pull out aged grenache vineyards that were considered past their time. For years after we moved to Adelaide, I used to take my teenage footy club back to Lyndoch to help pick the fruit on these vines. On several occasions I told Keith, the owner, that one day I would buy the property from him. As it turned out I did.

It has taken 15 years of procrastination, bad vintages and a bad business partnership for us to finally produce a wine that is actually ours.

This is the ultimate dry grown vineyard. The vines have never seen water and the quantity of fruit is directly proportional to the rainfall. Some years this 50 year old block produces a few hundred kilos, in a good year maybe a ton. 

Winemaker Dan Eggleton makes it in a burgundian style (different to most grenache) as it seems to suit the fruit from this vineyard. It is then aged in the best French oak for 14 months. The result is always outstanding. Anima means "soul" in Italian. This is the soul of our little part of the Barossa.

Tasting Note 2021 Anima 19 March 2023

Tasted today in the company of our winemaker, business partner, vigneron and a sommelier on our winery property in Tanunda. The look on each persons face as they individually put it to their nose and then tasted was priceless.

"Bright mid crimson, super complex aromas of briar, woodsmoke and a touch of eucalypt. Clean palate of rich berries with dancing acidity and a premium wine length. Truly extraordinary wine."

Tonight independent reviewer, Peter Nixon, advised us of a 98/100 rating for this wine. To be honest it doesn't surprise. We will post the review when it is formally received"