This is probably my favourite vineyard in McLaren Vale.
Steve Pannell, Owner/winemaker
About The Wine
Steve Pannell has been a leading figure in the rejuvenation and reinvention of Grenache in McLaren Vale over the last 20 years. Here we see the next step in his constant pursuit of perfection for the variety.
This year he releases two single vineyard Grenaches from McLaren Vale. This, the Old McDonald vineyard is 75 years old in the Grenache epicentre of the region, Blewitt Springs.
This was fermented in small batches with 20% whole bunches, pressed gently after 11 days on skins and then sent to a eight-year-old 4500L oak vat to mature.
It's the detail and drive in this wine that is so startling.
As Gary Walsh said in his 96 point review, "Flat out beautiful. Succulence with a serious nature. Bravo."
About S.C. Pannell
Quite simply, Stephen Pannell is one of Australia’s finest and most imaginative winemakers. He’s a Jimmy Watson Trophy winner, a McLaren Vale Bushing King winner, a two-time Max Schubert Trophy winner, International Red Winemaker of the Year and Decanter Magazine’s 50 Most Influential Contributors to the World of Wine. Nick Stock described him as potentially “one of the greatest Australian winemakers ever to make wines in our age”.
Steve’s wines are made with modern Australian food and wine culture at the front of mind. The wines come from a range of stunning McLaren Vale and Adelaide Hills vineyards, and are made from sustainable varieties that properly suit his South Australian climate. They're built around brightness of fruit and savoury tannin structure, and whatever your poison is Steve has you covered!
He is truly one of the most forward thinking and inspirational Australian winemakers alive today.
McLaren Vale, SA
From The Producer
A very cool, mild and stress-free vintage for vines, not winemakers! Good winter and spring rains were followed by a very mild, long summer. The results are wines with ample fruit complexity and great natural acidity. Most important however is the delicious fruit freshness and balance.
100% Grenache from 75-year-old vines from the Old McDonald vineyard in Blewitt Springs. Perfect bunches were hand-harvested on 4th March, early for Grenache. Traditionally vinified in small open-top fermenters with 20% whole bunches. Eleven days on skins before gentle pressing. Transferred to a 4500-litre, eight-year-old French-oak vat for maturation before being bottled without filtration nine months later.
Alcohol 14.5%; pH 3.62; TA 5.7g/L. – Stephen Pannell
Blend : Grenache (100%)
ABV : 14.50%
Closure : Screw cap
Drink Until : 2037
Critic Reviews
"If Old McDonald had a farm, it was probably in the Tintara winery sometime in the last century (wine people joke, I guess), but now, this beautiful wine comes from 75 year old bush vines. There’s no question that Grenache is the flagship grape of the McLaren Vale. It continues to rise as it becomes more sensitively grown, and as importantly, vinified.It’s pretty, kind of rosy in perfume, a little bit juicy, but also dry and beautifully structured. There’s fine insistent tannin giving it shape and texture, almost to Nebbiolo character with its gentle brick dust grip, red fruit and cherry, a layer of spice, new leather and scrub herb, and a long cool, composed finish. Flat out beautiful. Succulence with a serious nature. Bravo." - Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)
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