2018 Paxton Grenache Thomas Block McLaren Vale Australia 750 ml

We spotted the ruby-streaked label immediately. From across the restaurant and over the din we call the Down Under Symphony—corks popping, glasses clinking, and the sound of the water lapping against the sand outside—the Paxton Thomas Block Grenache stood out on the table like a beacon of opportunity. 

We’d been waiting all week to try David Paxton’s legendary Grenache, a 96-point wonder from Australia’s pioneering viticulturist. The wine lived up to Paxton’s Robert Mondavi-sized reputation over the course of our lunch: It burst from the glass with crushed raspberries and savory herbs, and tasted of cherry compote accented by licorice and game meat, all ringing on the palate with the kind of minerality and tea-like tannins that we typically associate with the best of Burgundy.

Wine Enthusiast called Grenache McLaren Vale’s “calling card,” and Paxton’s embodies the Australian ideal of the grape. James Halliday, the dean of Australian wine critics, included it in his prestigious Top 100 Wines of 2019, calling it “an elegant grenache that speaks loudly about place and variety” in his 96-point review. 

With blatant disregard for the time difference, we excused ourselves from the white-tablecloth dining room at Star of Greece—an oceanfront McLaren Vale hotspot for winemakers and wine lovers alike—to wake up the bean counters back home. It was all worth it because today we have 56 cases of this 96-point stunner to share for just $25 a bottle, and as low as $22 each on cases. 

David Paxton’s name may not be all that familiar to most Americans, but in Oz, he’s like Robert Mondavi and Aubert de Villaine rolled into one: His name is synonymous with some of the most important wines the country produces, and has been for more than four decades.

His 2018 Paxton Grenache Thomas Block McLaren Vale is grown on certified-organic bush vines—some of them planted as early as 1887—on Paxton’s original estate vineyard less than six miles from the Gulf of St. Vincent. It’s where chilly mornings give way to warm, sun-splashed afternoons, perfect for the old-vine Grenache to reach optimal ripeness while maintaining a vibrant spine of acidity. 

Alongside local specialties like charred octopus and seared sea scallops, the 2018 Thomas Block played a gorgeous supporting role— accenting the smoky char and herbs like a top-tier Burgundy. But when our second course arrived, local pork belly and grilled lamb, this wine really began to sing: Tart raspberries and cherry compote laced with licorice, leather, and game came to life alongside our entrees, as bottles number two and three disappeared from the table.

With spring almost here in the Northern Hemisphere, we can’t think of a better wine to open up when dusting off the grill. Whatever you pair it with—even just the company of family and friends—this vibrant Grenache will lift any gathering.