Description

Peter Schell and his French born wife Magali Gely started Spinifex back in 2001 – in a short time they have made a name for themselves as producers of fine elegant and sophisticated Barossa red blends. Peter hails from NZ originally but he and Magali are firm Barossaphiles with a great love of the ancient Barossa soils (100 million years old whereas in Bordeaux the soils date back to the last iceage 40,000-100,000 years) and the old vines. Inspired by time spent working many vintages in the south of France their love is the local varieties there – Mataro, Grenache, Shiraz and Cinsault. What sets them apart is their attention to detail and total hands on winemaking.

They are not interested in making blockbuster wines – they seek finesse and complexity (aromatics, line and length) in their wines…Sourcing small parcels of fruit from small family growers and their use of multiple small fermentation tanks allows them to ferment small parcels separately rather than pooling them – a very French technique – which means more ingredients to play with and absolute precision for blending.

‘Pete and his partner Magali Gely operate what I think is the best new-wave of small-scale Barossa wine companies to emerge at the beginning of the 21st century… These weren’t big, blockbuster, showy wines designed to impress. They were wines that managed to take the best of the Barossa’s sometimes forgotten varietal traditions and fuse them onto a very European flavour sensibility.‘ Max Allen, The future makers.

‘It seems that Spinifex wines can do no wrong.’ Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front.

This is Pete Schell’s higher-toned, red-fruited and more floral expression of the Barossa—a yin to Bête Noir’s yang, you could say. To this end, Schell sources from 10 different plots throughout the Barossa and Eden Valleys from “…generally higher, cooler sites, where earlier harvesting gives wines with bright fruit expression and a textural freshness”. Vine ages vary from 25 to 100 years.

As with most of his reds, Schell employed a range of techniques, with different proportions of whole-bunch, whole berry and destemmed fruit. The aim was for soft extraction, and the ferments were allowed to relax with little agitation. Pete sums up the reasoning behind his gentle approach simply: “it’s easier to overdo it than underdo it in the Barossa”. Short macerations were followed by ferments in stainless steel, concrete and mostly large, seasoned oak (only one new was barrel used).

From a near-ideal growing season that served up even ripening, great flavours and very good natural acidity, Schell’s 2021 captures a moreish mix of spicy meatiness, elegance and succulence. Initial dark and broody notes give way to bright shining acidity, vibrancy and a sense of energy and tension. It’s imbued with terrific depth and fine, sinewy tannins that curl around the tongue—Pete Schell strikes again.. this fine wine reminds me a little of the 2017 release.. Do not miss this !

94 points, Dave Brookes for Halliday’s 2023 Australian Wine Companion “Syrah from a selection of vineyards in the Barossa and Eden Valleys, judicious use of whole clusters, matured on light lees in a combination of large-format vessels for around 8 months prior to bottling. Deep purple red in the glass, it’s a rollicking, crunchy, bright and sapid ride with a gorgeous plume of plummy fruit, cut with spice and floral nuance, whole-bunch amaro notes and a sense of space, clarity and detail that brings a smile to the face. Such a wonderful drink and great value.”

94 points, Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front ““Impressive wine. Spicy and ‘bunchy’ but blessed with a flood of juicy, sweet, ripe fruit flavour. This gets the juices flowing. Blackberry, licorice, rounds of twiggy herbs, a general sweet earth character and an understated – and integrated – cedarwood aspect. Lovely wine. Generous but contained.”

RRP $33 Our Price $28.99 a bottle in any mixed dozen.

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