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 by winemaker Stephen Pannell: “The ‘Purple One’ is our all-rounder: anywhere, anytime with anything. A wine that comes from our amazingly textured McLaren Vale landscape representing the diversity possible of blended red wine. The climatic suitability of both Grenache and Touriga to the South Australian climate means fewer inputs required in the winery delivering wines with amazing depth, complexity, and flavour. Grenache brings lifted aromatics and its trademark sandy tannins. Shiraz chimes in with red fruits, spice, and weight, whilst the Touriga Nacional adds punchy plum pudding, dried spice and florals. The resultant wine is so much more than just the sum of its parts and is always irresistible.
“68% Grenache from old vine McLaren Vale, 20% Koomilya Shiraz and 12% Langhorne Creek Touriga Nacional. The Grenache and Shiraz were picked in late February, crushed and co-fermented spending 8 days on skins before gentle pressing. Racked after 10 days settling in tank and sent to French oak puncheon for Maloactic fermentation and short term maturation. The Touriga was picked in early April, crushed, and fermented in stainless steel with daily pump overs before pressing after 12 days on skins and sent to vat for malolactic fermentation and short-term maturation. The final blend was decided in October 2021 and the majority matured in large, old, French-oak vat for 9 months. Bottled early August 2022 without finning or filtration.
About the 2021 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.”
“Lavender, lilac, luxury and liquorice aromas capture the senses before a harmonious key change revealing black grapes, black cherry, incense, musk lollies and rose petals strangely reminiscent of a Gregorian chant. There is a timeless character to the GST that has evolved and continues to impress. A flow that is seamless, plush and generous like a set of precious velvet curtains. The textures are mouth filling with flavours of violet and Frutto di Bosco. There’s perfume on the finish and tannins that restrain and shape the fruit weight adding a savoury nib to the length.”
Cellaring: No waiting necessary, but if you must, give it 10 years in a cool cellar. A Swiss army wine, drink it with everything. 14.5% alc”
93 points, Marcus Ellis for Halliday Wine Companion “This takes an Iberian angle on a more familiar regional blend, suffusing the red-berried grenache with powdery purple florals, an earthy bass note of shiraz providing the connective tissue. House-described as an all-rounder, this is just that, maximising the graphic equaliser properties of blending to achieve a harmonious and very present whole, perfectly pitched for both the table and also for lingering once the plates are cleared.”
RRP $34 Our Special Price $28.99
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