De Bortoli’s Award-Winning Ancient Soils range release Grenache

De Bortoli Wines is continuing its exploration of Heathcote's remarkable ancient Cambrian soils with the release of Ancient Soils Grenache, the second wine in its award-winning Ancient Soils range.

Following the success of the Ancient Soils Tempranillo Touriga, the new release continues the range's celebration of the unique relationship between soil, place and wine.

Located in Northern Heathcote near Corop, the De Bortoli family's Freemans Bridge (75ha) and Taylors (15ha) vineyards are planted on deep Cambrian red soils over limestone. Formed more than 500 million years ago, these ancient soils are among the oldest wine-growing soils on earth, producing wines of depth, purity and structure. Ancient Soils Grenache is grown in these conditions, thriving in the warm climate and expressing the distinctive character of the site.

Medium-bodied and vibrant, Ancient Soils Grenache offers perfumed red and blue fruits, wet stone and sweet spice. Elegant and lively, it is fresh, focused and finely structured, with compact lingering tannins, gentle acidity and a seamless finish.

Ancient Soils Grenache was fermented in clay amphora, concrete and stainless steel vats, with skin contact ranging between 20 and 30 days. Ten per cent whole bunch was included across the blend with intermittent pump-overs and plunging before the wine was matured in stainless steel and concrete ahead of bottling in Autumn 2026.

Together, Ancient Soils Grenache and the highly awarded Tempranillo Touriga present two distinct expressions of the Ancient Soils range. While Tempranillo Touriga reveals depth and structure, Grenache offers a more aromatic and finely textured interpretation, demonstrating how different varieties can express the same remarkable site.

Ancient Soils Grenache is the latest chapter in De Bortoli's exploration of Heathcote, inviting wine lovers to discover a fresh expression of one of Australia's most distinctive wine regions.