S.C. Pannell Merrivale Shiraz 2021

Description

Stephen Pannell marked 10 years of the S.C. Pannell label in style, buying a vineyard he’s loved for years, acquiring a winery and cellar door in the heart of McLaren Vale and scooping the Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy for his 2013 Adelaide Hills Syrah. He’s one of the most liked and respected winemakers in the business, loved also by a wine-drinking public looking for refreshing, aromatic white wines and reds that are approachable and moreish – in essence, wines that are serious while remaining irresistible to drink. It’s this that made him an irresistible choice as Gourmet Traveller WINE Winemaker of the Year in 2015. From its new permanent home in McLaren Vale, S.C. Pannell continues its quest for great “wines that are grown, not made” – wines that are delicious, that taste of where they’re from and that are a natural partner for the food and lifestyle of their home.

Stephen Pannell has twice won Australia’s most prestigious wine award, the Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy – most recently in 2014 for his 2013 Adelaide Hills Syrah – and his reputation is further hinted at by his being named one of the 50 most influential contributors to the world of wine by Decanter Magazine.
He earned his stripes working with some Australia’s iconic wineries including Wirra Wirra, Hardy’s Tintara and BRL Hardy, where he was Chief Red Winemaker from 1999 to 2003. He has worked numerous overseas vintages at such places as Domaine des Comtes Lafon in Burgundy, Chateau Mouton Rothschild in Bordeaux and G.D. Vajra in Barolo.
In 2014, Steve further cemented his relationship with the great grapegrowing region that is South Australia by setting up a cellar door in the heart of McLaren Vale.

James Halliday on Steve Pannell “….Steve radiates intensity, and extended experience has resulted in wines of the highest quality right from the first vintage. The Pannells have purchased two vineyards in McLaren Vale,the first planted in 1891 with a precious 3.6ha of shiraz. A second property was purchased in 2014, lifting the estate vineyards to a total of 22ha. Steve manages the vineyard with the aim of generating full flavour ripeness as close to 13% as possible. The future for the Pannells is limitless, the icon status of the label already established.  5 Red Star Winery.”

About this wine from the winemaker: “Named for the original owners of our Olivers Road vineyard, the Merrivale block is the last Shiraz left standing on the vineyard. It was planted in 1970 with an east/west orientation, a prescient choice given the change to climate in the last 50 years. The block doesn’t stress and as a result we don’t have to regularly irrigate to keep the vines alive. We like the way the tannins wrap around the mouth, and that it isn’t just about the fruit. This is our aim with Shiraz: to return it to a simpler time before irrigation and additions. Picked late February, 13 days in an open top-fermenter, two months in puncheon to complete malolactic conversion followed by maturation in a 3500-litre vat, racked twice and bottled without fining in July 2020.

“About the vintage: Mostly joyous but not without its challenges. Good winter rain led to strong growth with good cover in the mid row and under vine well into summer. Nervous expectation after two low yielding years muted conversations about the potential for a good year right up until harvest. No disease pressure, good canopies and plentiful bunches lead to a long ripening season. Some varieties tested patience and drew out vintage well in to May. The greatest challenge was having enough hours in the day and people to help with harvesting the plentiful and perfectly ripe fruit. What a relief!

“Fruits of the forest, dark earth, demi glaze and master stock on the nose leads to a palate that is cool, juicy and alive with red-fruit flavour and all the things that unadulterated Shiraz should taste of: fruit and spice. Fine and lacy tannins come as a welcome surprise and are far gentler than the nose would suggest. The persistence draws out the experience, with sandalwood spice carrying the flavour. The lack of additions sets the mid-palate free. A McLaren Vale Shiraz without inhibition.” – Stephen Pannell

97 points and Wine of the Week, Huon Hooke, The Real Review “The grapes came from Stephen and Fiona Pannell’s home block, which was planted to an old clone in 1970. The colour sets the scene for a promising wine: it’s a profound, almost opaque purple colour, and stains the glass. The bouquet is reserved and shy, latent and dense, brooding and powerful—and it’s the same on the palate. Tar, graphite, ironstone and black soil. A bold, robust shiraz, full-bodied and muscular, with tremendous middle-palate fruit sweetness, richness and masses of ripe, smooth tannins. Impressive concentration and persistence. The regional fruit shines like a beacon. A heroic red wine with a great future.”

RRP $43  Our Special Price $37.99 when you buy 6 or more of this wine.