VINEYARDS
Grandeur wellington established in 2007 yet inspired by events in 1815.
McLaren Vale is often compared with the Mediterranean in climate, with warm sunny days and fresh sea breezes from the nearby Gulf of St Vincent to temper the hot summer days. Its proximity to the Mount Lofty Ranges sees the cool gully winds flow down from the hills in the late evening and early morning, cooling the grapes to retain crisp acidity and structure, even during hot Australian summers. Good winter rainfall (580-700mm) and low relative humidity ensure consistency of ripening and premium quality fruit. Frost is rare, and rain before vintage is minimal, and not prolonged. McLaren Vale is considered one of the safest wine growing regions in Australia.
McLaren Vale contains a wide diversity of terroirs, which refers to the climatic landforms and soil conditions which exist in a particular site within a region. Elevation ranges from 100 metres increasing to approximately 320 metres in the eastern parts. A wide variety of soils are found within the region, ranging from fertile red brown earth, terra rossa, dark cracking Biscay, sandy soils, and light loam over clay.
OUR HOME BLOCK
Blewitt Springs is another sub-region within McLaren Vale and is the furthest from the sea. It has the highest altitude, highest rainfall, and coolest winters. The deep sandy soils encourage gradual ripening in dry years, producing soft, luscious and fruity wines. Only half our vines are irrigated, with the rest being dry grown to produce intense colour and flavour. Our oldest vines are 45 to 50 year old Grenache and Shiraz.
GRAPE VARIETIES
Shiraz is harvested from late February to early April. McLaren Vale Shiraz will display pronounced berry and spice characters with some dark chocolate and liquorice, while Shiraz from cooler sub-regions will also exhibit defined ripe raspberry characters. McLaren Vale Shiraz is renowned for its great softness and rolling palate. McLaren Vale naturally produces Shiraz that has very small berries, which have a higher skin to pulp ratio.
Cabernet Sauvignon is harvested in late March. Less famous than McLaren Vale Shiraz, but equally enchanting, Cabernet Sauvignon from McLaren Vale continues to display the rich ripe characters that typify wines from this region. Violet and blackcurrant flavours, vibrant plum, mint and edges of liquorice and a touch of McLaren Vale’s trademark dark chocolate character are common.
Grenache is harvested in late March to early April. It is an ancient type of vine widely planted in France and Spain, and is the backbone of many of the world’s most famous red wines. Some Grenache vines in the district are over 120 years old. Since the late 1990s Grenache has been enjoying a resurgence of popularity as table wine. The soils of McLaren Vale are particularly suited to this variety. In the best vintages Grenache displays nuances of plum, mulberry and tobacco leaf, spice and mint characters with earthy overtones.