"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 2006

After a Gaia that was more approachable at a younger age from the 2005 vintage, it's back to the more austere, structured, densely packed red with which we are familiar in 2006. As usual, it's a wine that speaks loudly of its site - the rugged, austere moonscape of the Grosset Gaia vineyard on the slopes of a windswept hill close to Clare's highest point. The blend itself in the newly released vintage is cabernet sauvignon (75%), cabernet franc (20%) and merlot (5%) and is an outstanding wine: powerful, opulent, ultra-concentrated, ungiving at present but promising a great deal after careful cellaring. There's briary, blackcurrant flavours along with chalky, earthy, minerally characters all tightly coiled and balanced by ripe, fine-knit tannins patiently waiting for time to reveal all. There's complexity and elegance here, too: but only the patient will see it at its best.

General Cellaring Guide: Cellar 4-15 years but can be enjoyed now.