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, Steve says: “I love this wine and I love drinking it. It’s been stripped back from the artifice of winemaking to express the breadth and purity of McLaren Vale shiraz.”
Field Street Shiraz is S.C. Pannell’s single-vineyard estate-grown Shiraz, sourced from the 9 ha of vineyard that surrounds the cellar door on Olivers Road. The original Shiraz plantings are 1970 and the vineyard faces west to the gulf of St Vincent.
About this vintage from the winemaker: “As with all the 2016s the tannins are in the driving seat, balancing the sweetness of the fruit. On the nose you get violets, a punnet of fresh berries. It’s all about the fruit. It’s medium- to full-bodied with abundant and lovely tannins. It’s velvety, plush, even and long”. – Stephen Pannell
Ample black fruits including blackberry and mulberry with hints of red licorice, sarsaparilla, cumin spice and a gamey charcuterie note. McLaren Vale is known as the mid- palate of Australia and this Shiraz is a testament to that with its velvety plush texture and juicy generous middle palate. The finish is supple, long and persistent with very fine, well integrated tannins.
The new 2018 is here and it is a ripper!
About this vintage from the winemaker: “Simply stated, 2018 was a solid year. A vintage without extremes that was kind to both winemakers and vines alike. The fruit had lovely freshness and vivacity, the crops were of an average size and there was consistency throughout despite the dryness of the soil. Even the winemakers seemed to be enjoying themselves!”. – Stephen Pannell
Ample black fruits including blackberry and mulberry with hints of red licorice, sarsaparilla, cumin spice and a gamey charcuterie note. McLaren Vale is known as the mid- palate of Australia and this Shiraz is a testament to that with its velvety plush texture and juicy generous middle palate. The finish is supple, long and persistent with very fine, well integrated tannins. Yum!
95 points. Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion 2021 “This doesn’t need cellaring, although it will last some distance, and it doesn’t need hours in a decanter. Just enjoy it; it is lighter-framed, laced with neat tannins, bright acidity and with a core of succulent fruit abetted by prosciutto and woodsy spices. Importantly, this has drinkability stamped all over it.”
RRP $29 Our Price $25.99
(Want 6 or more? 2018 vintage available Click here for Special Price )
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