We have a lot to thank our forbears for when it comes to adages. They came up with many a saying or two that are still used today. One that I thought of straight away when I read the email from Susan Papps about the Second Take range was, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks”. The reason for thinking this was, their motto of “New world wine done the old world way”. Because of this range of wines, you could almost come up with a new saying of, “You can teach a new dog old tricks” because, from what I can tell, that’s what’s happened here. The (almost) new dog, Michael Papps, has adopted the old tricks (of the winemaking trade) and produced a bunch of wines that are quickly becoming crowd favourites. You almost feel like you want to give Micheal a good scratch behind the ear and a biscuit to say, thanks mate.
I love the smell of this Grenache. It’s a terrific array of fresh sweetish red fruits, attractive spicy notes alongside a dab of funky personality (yes, it’s an aroma in the context of this wine if you don’t mind). Beautifully balanced on the palate thanks to characters of blackberries and blueberries which are lush and smooth. Then there’s the slight hint of spices that comes as no surprise, yet nothing steals the limelight away from the fruit for me. It really shines in this wine. When it comes to the tannins, they are like vanilla ice-cream on a white plate (I can’t take credit for these words). You know they are there but hardly noticeable and blending in perfectly. Damn good drinking here!
Region: Barossa Valley, SA Price: $40 Source: Sample courtesy of Yelland & Papps
Words from a Wine Glass 