Grosset Gaia
"Gaia is one of the most astonishing vineyards you'll see. Planted at 570 metres, at the highest point of the Clare Valley, the vineyard is an elongated triangular wedge of emerald green that sits above the rolling golden cornfields of the Clare Valley. Named after James Lovelock's books, Gaia is a metaphor for the importance of the diversity and complexity of species."
Extracted from 'The Red Revolution' by Anthony Rose, The Independent (UK) November 2002. To read the full article, click here.
Grosset Gaia 2005
They will be wondering whether Jeff Grosset has gone soft. They will want to know 'is age catching up with the master of austerity?' 'What's this with a cuddly cabernet?' the wine lovers of Adelaide, Amsterdam, Anaheim and Accrington will be wondering. The 2005 Grosset 'Gaia' is back to the usual blend of cabernet sauvignon (75%), cabernet franc (20%) and merlot (5%) and is a surprise packet. As always, it is sourced soley from Grosset's stoney, desolate, wind swept, high Gaia vineyard in the Clare Valley.
The wine itself is broodingly aromatic with dense, deep brambly, blackcurrant and dark plum flavours with a wonderful succulence in the mid-palate so it's much less austere than usual. There's weight, power and tremendous density and layer after layer of flavour - which at present is pretty tightly coiled. Yet there's a gentleness about the wine that is not typical of Gaia at this age, certainly some characteristic restraint yet there's an approachability from power of the fruit balanced by the ripe, powdery, fine-grained tannins. The texture is velvety, almost seductive and there is an elegance to the wine. It is simply delicious now, yet with the capacity to age as well as any other vintage.
