2024 Garagiste Le Stagiaire Grenache Blanc

Barney's first crack at Grenache Blanc and it's a beauty.

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Sale price$34.00
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Description

Barney Flanders’s debut Grenache Blanc is the result of a long-standing admiration for Rhône varietals and a successful collaboration with the Rathjen family in Heathcote. Sourced from southeast-facing vines planted a decade ago in Colbinabbin’s red Cambrian soils over limestone, this small-batch wine highlights the freshness and fine texture Barney is known for.

The fruit was hand-picked at optimal ripeness (12-12.5% potential alcohol) and whole-bunch pressed into seasoned 500-litre puncheons. The focus was on preserving the purity and delicate aromatics of the Grenache Blanc, and Barney’s hands-off yet attentive approach has delivered a stunning result.

The 2024 Le Stagiaire Grenache Blanc is all about balance. Aromas of white florals and stone fruit lead into a bright, pure palate with hints of peach, citrus, and a subtle saline minerality. The texture is elegant and fine, with a long, refreshing finish that leaves you wanting another sip.

An impressive first release that combines freshness, charm, and understated complexity—this is a wine that promises great things to come for Barney’s foray into Grenache Blanc.

93 points
"Good perfume, salted pistachio, pear and fresh apricot, and kind of waxy too. It has flesh and plenty of apple and pear flavour, again that saline thing, light dusty texture, some cool mint in with the waxy orchard fruit, hard steeped chamomile tea, preserved lemon, and a finish of good length. Very good wine. Texture and a slippery feel, but still keeps itself fresh."
- Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)

93 points - "Good perfume, salted pistachio, pear and fresh apricot, and kind of waxy too. It has flesh and plenty of apple and pear flavour, again that saline thing, light dusty texture, some cool mint in with the waxy orchard fruit, hard steeped chamomile tea, preserved lemon, and a finish of good length. Very good wine. Texture and a slippery feel, but still keeps itself fresh." - Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)

A stint at Ogier in Côte-Rôtie left Barney Flanders with a lasting affinity for Rhône Valley wines and, importantly, a thirst for Grenache in all its guises. After years of polite nagging, in 2024, Barney succeeded in securing a small parcel of Grenache Blanc from the Rathjen family in Colbinabbin, Heathcote. Ian and Lynne Rathjen are fourth-generation farmers and vignerons who have farmed their ancient Cambrian soils since the 1850s.

The vines face southeast and are now 10 years old, rooted in red dirt soils that lie over a layer of limestone. The Rathjens keep yields low across the board, so Barney’s parcel was just a couple of tonnes. As with all the Garagiste wines, the goal is to balance fine mouthfeel with freshness. To that end, the fruit was picked at 12-12.5% potential alcohol and pressed as bunches to seasoned 500-litre puncheons.

Though new to the variety, Barney has taken to Grenache Blanc like a duck to water. “I was constantly checking it to see how it was developing,” he told us, “It’s really delicate and perfumed with lovely texture and salinity. It’s pretty cool.” It’s a cracking first release, fresh and pure with pretty floral lift, pure stone fruit flavours and mouthwatering saline depth. Nailed it.

Price Bracket $31 to $40
Type White
Body Medium Bodied
Variety Grenache Blanc
Country Australia
Region Heathcote
Australian State VIC
Reviewed By The Wine Front
Critic Score 93
Size 750ml
Vintage 2024
Closure Screw Cap

Garagiste Wines

The Garagiste wines by Barnaby Flanders are a masterclass in small-batch excellence from Mornington Peninsula. Driven by a passion for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, Flanders delves into the peninsula’s sub-regions, harnessing subtle variations in soil and aspect to craft wines of remarkable character.

Since launching in 2006, Garagiste has become a Victorian standout, celebrated for single-site, sub-regional expressions. From Tuerong’s sandy soils to Main Ridge’s rich volcanic earth, Flanders sources responsibly farmed parcels to shape his distinctive wines.

Central to the Garagiste story is Merricks Grove vineyard, where Flanders’ winemaking journey began in 2000. His hands-on approach ensures every detail, from vineyard management to cellar work, delivers wines of precision and nuance. The philosophy is all about balance: picking for acidity, whole bunch pressing for Chardonnay, and natural ferments with restrained oak use. The result? Elegant, complex wines that rank among the peninsula’s finest.

Together with partner Cam, Flanders produces both Garagiste’s cool-climate flagship wines and the superb-value Le Stagiaire range. Whether it’s their textured Pinots or taut Chardonnays, these wines embody the craftsmanship of one of Mornington’s best.

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