Gold Medal & 95 Points -  Haliday Wine Companion Magazine
"Stacked full of luscious red and purple fruits, yet not heavy. A particularly good mataro."

Massena was established at the turn of the century by Jaysen Collins and Dan Standish. Growing up amongst the old vines of the Barossa inspired a collaboration in making wines of character, balance and a reflection of the sense of enjoyment in the whole winemaking process. Traditional Barossa varieties are sourced, Shiraz, Grenache and Mataro from dedicated growers in the deep red soils of the North Western edge of the Barossa. These include the sub regions of Greenock, Stonewell and Moppa. These rare vineyards host dry farmed, low yielding vines up to 150 years of age. 

Massena is all about making wine from great vineyards and the way we go about it reflects this simplicity, with minimal intervention in the winery. Hand harvesting allows some whole bunch inclusion and the vineyard’s indigenous yeast is used in all ferments.

"The Moonlight Run was our midnight drive back to the Barossa after working vintage in the Clare Valley in 1999. We would crave a soft slurpy wine to wash down a hard night’s work, so we decided to make our own. We take inspiration from Southern Rhone wines and this is our take on them."

Mataro from dry grown vines on the rose quartz soils of our Dadd’s Block is fermented with 30% whole cluster inclusion and blended with other parcels of Mataro from Light Pass and Greenock. We then add some old bush vine Grenache from the Barossa foothills where the sandy soils are shallow on calcrete and limestone. This complex Grenache fruit adds spiciness and intensity. Add to that some Greenock and Tanunda Shiraz and we have a wine that has a mouthful of everything superb about a Southern Rhone styled blend. Daily pump overs early in ferment, followed by punching down as the ferment finished, ensure gentle and controlled extraction. Aged in tank and barrel, each parcel is selected to add as much interest as possible.

Mataro gives roasted cumin, cinnamon, peppercorn and savoury profile that is complimented by dark cherry and kirsch nuances from the Grenache. Some raspberry sweetness from the Tanunda Shiraz complete a truly complex and intriguing blended wine.