2023 S. C. Pannell Blewitt Springs Little Branch Grenache

Rich, super succulent and energetic with a sculptured core and long expressive red fruited finish.

Dark red core with black toned edges and a red to dark red hue. Red to dark raspberry, red liquorice and cherry scents are propelled out of the glass followed by some scorched earth, fresh herb and pepper notes. Rich, super succulent and energetic, the medium bodied palate is awash with red to dark raspberry, liquorice and red cherry fruits that are deep and powerful. Notions of crushed rock, vanillin spice, infusions of fresh herbs and pepper lend further nuance. Bright and muscular, the long finish combines wonderful tension with expressive fruit.
Drink over the next 6-8 years.
Alc. 14%

Other Reviews……
The 2023 Little Branch Grenache is floral and ultra fine—the tannins sit through the middle and the back of the fruit and drag out through the fine finish. The fruit leads with Boscobel rose, green tea, petrichor and wet asphalt (although they may in fact draw from the same thing, they feel necessary to outline individually). I tasted this 2023 alongside the 2022, and the two have clear identities and are different, yet they are cut from the same cloth. The 2022 is silkier and more supple, with great depth and complexity; the 2023 is lacier, more diaphanous and very perfumed, and both are very long. The vineyard DNA is clear, while the vintage conditions have extracted different characters. They are both excellent wines. They are collectible in the extreme, but magnificent to drink today. 14% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. Drink 2025-2043.
97 Points
Erin Larkin – Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate

The second release from the Pannell-owned site in Blewitt Springs, planted to Maslin Sands peppered with ironstone. Fermented in steel with 14% whole bunches; raised in an old 2800L French oak vat. Steve Pannell loves grenache, of course. Also, nebbiolo. The kinship of those varieties in the current zeitgeist is hard to deny. Here it is writ large. Definitively grenache though, with a flex of fruit succulence through the middle (seemingly a feature of this site, based on the early evidence). Such transparency allied with depth, the tannins expansive, authoritative, sandy, refined, natural. Pressed rose, dried cranberry, sour cherry, umeboshi, warm terracotta, mace, freshly ground cinnamon, a hint of musk, the explosive perfume on the palate utterly compelling, the finish relentless. Stunning. Drink by 2038.
97 Points
Marcus Ellis - James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion

So pure and refined with aromas of wild raspberries, dried strawberries, cinnamon bark, pencil shavings and dried herbs. The palate is vibrant with crunchy tannins, focused acidity and a high-tension mouthfeel, showing dark cherries, hibiscus, kirsch and citrus peel. A serious yet bright and highly drinkable grenache that is built to last. Drink or hold. Screw cap.
96 Points
JamesSuckling.com