2005 The Custodian

@#169; Tom Jellett

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Harvest Dates:
10th March to 26th April
Oak Maturation:
Average of 18 months in mainly older American and French oak barriques including large casks.
Alcohol by Vol:
14.0 %
Glucose + Fructose:
0.6 g/L
Titratable Acid:
6.8 g/L
pH:
3.52
Bottling Date:
20th November 2007
Chief Winemaker:
Chester d’Arenberg Osborn 
Senior Winemaker:
Jack Walton

Other Vintages

"The Custodian exhibits typical redcurrant but there's more complexity to it. Lifted aromas of spices and berries are almost perfume-like, while the palate is deceptively fresh and medium bodied. It's destined to become even more complex if you leave it a few more years."

During the 1980’s, d’Arenberg resisted taking part in a Grenache vine pull scheme that proved to be short-sighted. Their faith in the old vines has proved rewarding, with d’Arenberg receiving the mantle as ‘Custodian’ of the Grenache variety. Today we share this recognition with our growers who have preserved old plots of bush vines.

The appearance of this wine is excellent with intense colours and a soft cherry red hue. The aromas are complex and seductive, dominated with an evolving mix of deep red scented fruits, white & green peppers, floral spices and earthy pot-pouri like notes.
The palate is medium bodied, fleshy with a concentrated array of red berries, dark sweet plums and baked olive notes developing towards more of the spicy savoury spectrum as it opens. Fruit sweetness takes hold midway through the palate and then explodes towards the finish with lively, ripe, gritty, fragrant tannins and very fine elevated acidity that lingers on past the finish of this wine.
This wine is already a wonderful drink now but due to its superb balanced of fruit weight and concentration, chalky gritty tannins and natural acidity this wine will develop for many years ahead.

2006 vintage is regarded as one of our largest vintages ever yet it started early and finished early. Overall quality was excellent for whites and reds as flavours developed at lower than normal beaume, not seen previously.
A dry winter followed by heavy rains in spring resulted in vines with healthy balanced canopies on most soils. A mild early summer leading into a warmer period during veraison stopped vegetative growth allowing vines to channel energy into the fruit.
The cooler conditions that followed veraison were a concern for varieties such as Grenache as it ideally prefers the summer warmth to develop which eventually occurred. Warm mid-summer conditions saw a rapid jump in beaume developing colour and fragrant intense fruit characteristic with wonderful levels of natural acidity and superb fruity tannins.

It is fitting that the family’s fourth generation winemaker, Chester, has guided the finest small-batch Grenache parcels from the 2004 vintage through the gentle ‘Demoisy’ crusher, open fermenters (where the traditional foot-treading in wader-clad feet takes place) and then into 19th century ‘Coq’ and ‘Bromley & Tregoning’ basket-presses.
The Osborn family will continue to work well with Grenache for many more generations. Natural minimal processing ensures maximum flavour which results in a harmless deposit in, and adhering, to the bottle.
This wine will benefit from extended bottle ageing and decanting.