McLaren Vale
Just 40 minutes south of Adelaide, McLaren Vale is one of Australia's oldest and most celebrated wine regions, one that ranks with other classics such as Coonawarra and the Barossa, lauded for its ability to produce brilliance from an array of noble varietals. Bordered by the Mount Lofty Ranges to the east and the Gulf of St Vincent to the west, it's a region defined by the meeting of two very different natural forces and the wines reflect that perfectly.
The Climate & Soils
McLaren Vale's climate is Mediterranean, warm but seldom hot summers, mild winters and seasonal rainfall in late autumn and winter. Cooling breezes off the Mount Lofty Ranges and the Gulf of St Vincent moderate the warmth, creating unique microclimates across the region. Below the vines, over 40 soil types, from sands and loams to clays, span geology dating back 500 million years. Together, climate and soil diversity are the reason the same variety planted in different parts of McLaren Vale can produce wines with completely different characters and why the region consistently surprises.
The Wines
McLaren Vale excels in the production of ultra-premium Shiraz and Grenache. Shiraz here tends to be rich, generous and deeply flavoured, with a characteristic chocolate and dark fruit profile that sets it apart from the spicier styles of the Barossa or the more restrained cool-climate expressions further south. Cabernet Sauvignon is equally impressive, restrained yet generous, with real aging potential. Grenache is increasingly the region's most exciting variety, praised for its perfumed, red-fruited complexity, particularly from old vines grown in sandy soils.
