Coriole
Coriole has cemented itself as McLaren Vale royalty since its founding in 1967 by Hugh and Molly Lloyd. The estate’s oldest plantings (1919) and the homestead (1860) trace their roots back considerably further, with additional evidence that vines existed on the site as early 1873. The old vines on the property were shiraz, and a shiraz labelled ‘Claret’, as was done at the time, was released under the Coriole name in 1969. Shiraz still occupies most of the vineyard space, which is planted to terra rossa soils over limestone. There is also a smattering of grenache, mourvèdre, cabernet sauvignon and chenin blanc, with Mark Lloyd’s (Hugh and Molly’s son) interest in so-called alternative varieties accounting for the rest. Fiano, barbera, piquepoul and montepulciano feature, but it is with sangiovese that Coriole have made their biggest gambit. They have produced a varietal sangiovese for over 30 years now, and it is one of their most successful wines. Coriole’s wines are intense but sophisticated, with a general lightness of touch in the winery.
A: 79 Chaffeys Rd, McLaren Vale SA 5171
Ph: (08) 8323 8305
W: coriole.com
d’Arenberg
Tracing its history back to the first 8 hectares of shiraz planted in 1912, d’Arenberg may not be the oldest vineyard, but it is about as iconic as it gets. Although his father had made wine for export prior, d’Arry Osborn launched the d’Arenberg label (sporting the famous red sash) in 1959. d’Arry’s move was a successful one, with a Jimmy Watson following in 1969. In 1984, fresh from university, his son Chester took over the winemaking role, and later became the General Manager. All d’Arenberg vineyards, whether owned or managed under lease arrangements, are now certified organic and biodynamic. The winemaking here is super traditional, with all wines, including whites, basket pressed. It’s near impossible to wrap up the d’Arenberg wine offer in words. Osborn pays homage to the past as well as delving into the possibilities of the future, with traditionally cast cuvees set against imaginative ones, with eccentric names to match. A visit is the only way to get the full picture, and there’s also a wealth of dining, snacking and wine experiences at the dazzling d’Arenberg Cube or on the legendary d’Arry’s Verandah.
A: 58 Osborn Rd, McLaren Vale SA 5171
Ph: (08) 8329 4888
W: darenberg.com.au
Hardys Tintara
One of the oldest McLaren Vale producers, Tintara was founded in 1861, with Thomas Hardy buying the vineyards in 1876. The stone Tintara winery is on the main street (which is actually Main Street) of the township of McLaren Vale, which had served as a flour mill before Hardy converted it. Today, it is the home to the cellar door for all the Hardys wines, as well as a museum and various other activities. Tintara remains the base and spiritual home for Hardys, whose forays into big company winemaking have resulted in a large holding of vineyards, both owned and leased, across the Vale and beyond.
A: 202 Main Rd, McLaren Vale SA 5171
Ph: (08) 8329 4124
W: hardyswines.com
Kay Brothers-Amery
The oldest continuously family owned McLaren Vale winery, Kay Brothers was founded in 1890, with the legendary Block 6 planted to shiraz in 1892. Vine cuttings were largely purchased from Thomas Hardy’s Tintara winery, with riesling, cabernet, malbec and mataro also being planted at Amery. In the 1960s, much of the Kay’s output was sold as bulk wine, though they had a cellar door as early as 1956 (with a four-flagon minimum purchase). The making here is traditional, with basket pressing and open fermenters employed, while the wines are aged in small oak, up to 500 litre puncheons. Classic McLaren Vale varieties are on show, with a little nero d’avola thrown in to test future waters. The ‘Block 6’ is one of Australia’s iconic shirazes, a very collectible wine that rubs shoulders with the greats. Kay Brothers also make some highly regarded fortifieds.
A: 57 Kays Rd, McLaren Vale SA 5171
Ph: (08) 8323 8201
W: kaybrothersamerywines.com
Primo Estate
Joe Grilli catapulted the family estate, founded in 1973 by his father, Primo, into the spotlight by combining Italian techniques with the modern Australian methods he had studied at Roseworthy (he was the Dux of his year). Today, Primo Estate is celebrated for some ground-breaking wines, as well their Italian-in-spirit entry-level range – some Italian varieties, like sangiovese, and some that just knit into the food-friendly spirit. Grilli’s ‘Moda Amarone’, which gives cabernet and sauvignon and merlot the appassimento treatment (best known for the Italian Amarone wines of the Veneto, where the grapes are air dried post-harvest to concentrate and intensify), and the wildly complex assemblage that is their Sparkling Red are perhaps the emblematic bottlings. That last wine is made up of a barrel of ‘Moda Amarone’ made up of every vintage since 1991 and one from every vintage of their Primo Estate Shiraz since 1989, blended with a unique blend of old Australian red wine, then liqueured with a blend of old Australian fortified wines. It’s unique, to say the least. Primo Estate is as well known for their superb extra-virgin olive oils as they are for their wines.
A: 50 McMurtrie Rd, McLaren Vale SA 5171
Ph: (08) 8323 6800
W: primoestate.com.au
Wirra Wirra
Greg Trott was one of Australian wine’s most celebrated iconoclasts, bon vivants and winemaking pioneers. His spirit is still celebrated heartily today, with the medieval siege machine (a trebuchet – a sort of articulated catapult) built in his honour (he had it on the drawing board for some time) routinely used to piff watermelons across the lawn. Underneath the irreverence lies one of the Vale’s most respected producers (with the ‘Church Block’ perhaps their most iconic label), working both with the lead regional varieties, as well as those more suited to the cool of the Adelaide Hills, from where they source sauvignon blanc, riesling and chardonnay. The vineyards have been managed according to biodynamic principles for over a decade, with NASAA certification coming in 2013. The wines, from the iconic ‘RSW’ Shiraz and ‘Angelus’ Cabernet Sauvignon down to their pithily titled entry-level ranges, emphasise bright freshness, but not at the expense of sun-kissed intensity. In 2015, Wirra Wirra acquired the legendary Adelaide Hills producer, Ashton Hills. Stephen George, the regional pioneer and undoubtedly the maker of the finest pinot noirs to come out of the Hills, still lives on the property and mentors the winemaking each year.
A: Cnr Strout and McMurtrie Rds, McLaren Vale SA
Ph: (08) 8323 8414
W: wirrawirra.com
