S.C. Pannell Grenache Shiraz Touriga 2017

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.“

Winemaker Stephen Pannell about this wine: “The ‘Purple One” is our all-rounder, anywhere, anytime with anything red wine that comes from our amazingly textured McLaren Vale landscape and is representative of a movement away from single varietals to wines that better reflect the diversity of the region. The climatic suitability of both Grenache and Touriga to the South Australian climate means fewer inputs in the vineyard and winery thus increased sustainability whilst 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 adds pungent fruit characteristics of plum-pudding, dried spices and florals. The resultant wine is so much more than just the sum of its parts and is downright irresistible.
The 2017 vintage was a very cool, mild and stress-free occasion for vines, not winemakers! Good winter and spring rains were followed by a very mild, long summer. The results are wines with ample fruit complexity and great natural acidity. Most importantly however is the delicious fruit freshness.

Grenache 62%, Shiraz 29%, Touriga Nacional 9% Youthful and vibrant with immediate freshness. Fruit driven and loaded with dark cherry and pomegranate followed by musk, Turkish delight, rosehips, autumn leaves ,star-anise and nutmeg. A Swiss army wine, drink it with everything!”.

Gold Medal – 2018 McLaren Vale Wine Show

93 points, Gary Walsh, The Wine Front “A little bit of Touriga goes a long way in a blend, I feel. Dark cherry, baking spices, some liquorice, Brazil nuts, floral notes. It’s medium bodied, fleshy and rounded, savoury with ample dark fruit, a slightly earthy character, silty tannin, and some raspberry freshness in with dark nutty chocolate on a furry tannin finish of fine length. Super drinking.”

92 points, James Halliday “Light crimson-purple hue; an essentially light-bodied wine that has greater intensity and length than is obvious at first sight, and a fruit span of red, blue and purple berries allied with a sauce of spice and neat tannins. Ready now.”

RRP $33  *SPECIAL 6 PACK BUY … $26.99 a bottle when you buy 6 of this wine*