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Description
Steve Pannell is unquestionably one of the modern masters of Grenache. Now, with his own little piece of hallowed turf in the Blewitt Springs sub-region secured, his Grenache journey is far from over.
His 2023 single vineyard releases are some of his best work to date. Here you can sample a bottle each of these three outstanding wines.
- 2023 S.C. Pannell Little Branch Grenache
- 2023 S.C. Pannell Smart Vineyard Grenache
- 2023 S.C. Pannell Old McDonald Grenache
2023 S.C. Pannell Little Branch Grenache
Little Branch has fast become one of the most exciting new Grenache projects in Australia. The fruit comes off Steve Pannell’s own Blewitt Springs vineyard, a site he hunted for years before finally finding it in 2021 – a small block of 30-year-old vines rooted in ancient Maslin Sands and ironstone, sitting high and exposed above McLaren Vale. It’s classic Blewitt Springs terrain, and in Steve’s hands, the results are extraordinary.
The 2023 vintage was long and cool, allowing a slow build of flavour and fine natural acidity. The winemaking is typically understated: hand-picked fruit, 14% whole bunches, wild ferment in steel, then old French oak to settle. No fining, no shortcuts, just pure expression.
The wine is fragrant and precise, all red fruit, rose petal and spice with that sandy, mineral tannin line that defines the site. It’s effortlessly balanced – bright, textured and quietly intense, sitting in that rare sweet spot between elegance and power. Collectible, yes, but it’s almost too good not to open.
97 points
"...the explosive perfume on the palate utterly compelling, the finish relentless. Stunning."
- Marcus Ellis (Halliday Wine Companion)
2023 S.C. Pannell Smart Vineyard Grenache
The Smart Vineyard sits high in Clarendon, where McLaren Vale starts to thin out into cooler, windier hills. These dry-grown bush vines were planted by the late Bernie Smart almost seventy years ago, rooted in ancient siltstone soils that have been around for a casual 750 million years. Steve Pannell has worked with this site for years, and it’s become one of his benchmark single-vineyard wines – a pure, structured expression of old-vine Grenache.
The 2023 season was a long, cool La Niña year that pushed picking three weeks later than usual. Yields were tiny, but the long hang time built intensity and tannin definition. The fruit was hand-picked, fermented in old oak with daily pumpovers, then settled and aged in seasoned puncheons. No fining, no additions – just fruit, site and patience.
The wine has real presence. Deep colour, a lifted nose of red fruits, spice and dried herbs, and a palate that’s silky but firm, layered and long. There’s energy, savouriness and depth in equal measure – a sign of both the site and the steady hand guiding it.
97 points
"This is incredibly silky and seamless, with notes of sweet pouch tobacco, pomegranate molasses, raspberry/rhubarb and paprika dolce tannins. The texture here is like Dutch cocoa..."
- Erin Larkin (The Wine Advocate)
2023 S.C. Pannell Old McDonald Grenache
Old McDonald is the original S.C. Pannell Grenache – the one that kicked off Steve’s long love affair with the variety. It comes from 80-year-old bush vines on the Plaisted family’s vineyard in McLaren Vale, rooted deep in ancient Maslin Sands about 80 metres above sea level. This site has been part of Steve’s story since 2004, and the 2023 release marks the penultimate vintage before the vineyard retires from his line-up.
The 2023 season followed a cool La Niña pattern, giving lower yields and slower ripening. The fruit was hand-harvested, with 12% whole bunches in the ferment, then left on skins for a couple of weeks before pressing and ageing in large, old French oak. As always, there’s nothing showy in the winemaking – just balance, patience and an eye for detail.
Compared to the darker, denser 2022, this vintage is lighter and more lifted. Red fruits, spice and rose florals lead the way, the tannins fine and savoury, the texture long and graceful. It’s a beautiful send-off for one of McLaren Vale’s defining Grenache vineyards.
97 points
"It’s a beautifully poised iteration of this cuvée, and just such a delight."
- Marcus Ellis (Halliday Wine Companion)
| Price Bracket | $51 to $100 |
| Variety | Grenache |
| Country | Australia |
| Region | McLaren Vale |
| Feature |
High Score |
| Size | 9 |
S.C. Pannell
Visionary winemaker Stephen Charles Pannell Discover S.C. Pannell
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