Woodstock Vintage Fortified Grenache 2013 (McLaren Vale) is a vintage-dated fortified Grenache in a classic Australian “vintage port” style: deep, powerful and generous, with concentrated fruit, warming spice and a long, velvety finish. While Muscat tends to be more aromatic and caramel-driven, Fortified Grenache is more wine-like and dark-fruited, with a clearer sense of structure—making it perfect with chocolate and cheese, or simply for slow sipping.
Style and character
“Vintage Fortified” means the wine is made to express the intensity of the vintage and enjoyed as a rich dessert wine, yet with the backbone and fruit core that can also reward cellaring. Grenache is ideal for this style: it delivers vivid fruit intensity, ripe berry flavours and a naturally generous roundness that becomes even more luxurious once fortified and matured.
The wine is fortified during fermentation with grape spirit. This stops fermentation, preserving part of the natural grape sweetness, while raising the alcohol and adding that signature warming glow. The result is a smoother, more velvety texture and a long, lifted finish. Further time in wood then builds depth and integrates fruit, sweetness and spice.
Grapes and winemaking
Grenache grapes are harvested at very high ripeness to maximise fruit concentration and colour. During fermentation, colour and tannin are extracted, and when the desired balance is reached, grape spirit is added to halt fermentation. This approach preserves both sweet fruit intensity and structural grip.
After fortification, the wine is matured in wood, developing the classic hallmarks of the style: deeper fruit tones, spiced complexity and a more rounded, integrated profile. The 2013 vintage often shows a satisfying balance—rich and ripe, yet still structured and lively through the finish.
Nose
Dark, inviting and clearly wine-driven:
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blackcurrant, blackberry and ripe cherry
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plum, dried fruit and a hint of raisin
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dark chocolate, cocoa and vanilla
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warm spices like cinnamon, clove and a touch of pepper
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a subtle background note of wood, tobacco or gentle nuttiness
Palate
Full-bodied and almost creamy, yet with a distinctly wine-like structure:
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It opens with dark berry fruit and a rich sweetness that feels ripe rather than sugary
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Mid-palate expands into cocoa, spice and lightly toasted oak, with Grenache fruit turning deeper and jam-like
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Towards the end, a gentle tannic grip and warmth bring balance and length, keeping the wine from feeling heavy
Finish
Long, soft and lingering with dark fruit, cocoa and a spiced echo. There’s often a refined, slightly drier tail that invites another sip.
Serving
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Serve slightly cool—not ice-cold and not warm—so the fruit stays bright and the alcohol feels integrated.
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Use a smaller glass (Port/tulip-shaped) to focus the aromatics.
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Give it a few minutes in the glass to let the cocoa and spice notes open up.
Food pairing and occasions
Vintage Fortified Grenache is made for dessert and cheese:
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dark chocolate, brownies, molten cakes, truffles
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desserts with berries, cherry or plum, or spiced elements
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blue cheese (a classic), or salty aged cheeses
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gingerbread/holiday baking, nut cakes, cinnamon-forward desserts
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or simply as a slow after-dinner pour when you want something warming and impressive
About the producer
Woodstock is a well-known name in McLaren Vale, working in a style where generous fruit and maturation come together in a balanced whole. Their fortified wines sit firmly in the classic Australian tradition: richness and depth, but with enough structure that it’s not just sweet—it’s complex, wine-driven and irresistibly satisfying.
