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: “The idea for a low sulphur, unfiltered Grenache had been bubbling away for a few years and in 2017 access to the right fruit from an old dry-grown vineyard, sparked the Basso project to life. From the Latin Bassus, meaning low, refers to the minimal preservative used in the winemaking enabling this precious variety to speak clearly of where it is grown.
“Lighter, warm-climate red wines based on Grenache particularly from McLaren Vale have a well-deserved place on the tables of diners. Youthful and flavoursome wines that match where and how we live and the food we love to cook and eat.
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!
“100% Grenache Noir / Garnacha Tinta / Ganaxa / Cannonau – whatever the name it’s all the same to us!
“Picked on the 27th of February with a Baume of 13.3. Fermented in open top fermenters with gentle pump overs and 9 days on skins before gentle pressing. Transferred after settling to large old French oak vats for malolactic fermentation and extended maturation. Racked twice and bottled, without fining or adjustment on the 16th of December 2021.
“The fifth release and our most beguiling to date. Perfumed, poised and pretty with violets, raspberry, rhubarb, pink musk sticks, lilac, exotic timber and brick dust reminiscent of sitting on a red brick fence in summer surrounded by a lush garden slurping on a raspberry Sunny Boy waiting on no one nor anything in particular.
Coiled and compact on opening, waiting to pounce before stretching its limbs and delivering a balance between acid, tannin and abundant fruit after a touch of air. A powerful reminder of why we love Grenache.” – Steve Pannell
94 points, Gary Walsh, The Wine Front “A very good year for Basso. 50 year old vines. Bright cherry, musk, lots of iron and ferrous character, exotic spice and mint. Medium-bodied, juicy fruit, but savoury, with plenty of tannin and extract, stony feel, a lot of bounce and perfume. Finish is ferrous and crisp, and pretty long. Kind of rugged, though it’s a joyous expression of Grenache. Fun times.”
RRP $32 Our Special Price $26.99 when you buy 6 or more of this wine.
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