Overall, I am impressed by the imaginative, emotional, and financial investment going into McLaren Vale. The interest in the region’s heritage is being activated in many special ways. New technologies, inventive architecture and outlooks have brought an extra shine. Chester Osborn’s obsessively imaginative and creative Cube project was thought up years before it became a reality. The idea stems from the complexities and frustrations of winemaking and the similar challenges of solving the problem of a Rubik’s Cube. The result is an extraordinary five-level building that lies on a rise. It dominates the landscape like a modern castle yet integrates with the colours of the surrounding early 20th Century winery buildings and vineyards. It beckons people to enjoy the sensory experiences of wine, food, art and alternative realities. Toby and Emmanuel Bekkers also represent an imaginative and forward-thinking approach to viticulture and winemaking. Their technical skills, experience and strong sensibility towards sustainability, ecology and regional culture define the values, ambitions and drive of contemporary winemakers in McLaren Vale and beyond. Their red wines, based on Grenache and Shiraz, are expressive, modern, and ageworthy styles. The pure fruit aromatics, Burgundian-style techniques, especially partial-whole bunch vinification, and fine sinuous tannins are signature attributes. Their recent purchase of the historic 50-acre Clarendon Vineyard is an investment of superb ambition and links their story to the efforts of previous generations. Andrew Hardy of Ox Hardy is reimagining the historic Upper Tintara Vineyard, where the ruins of AC Kelly’s grand vision are a reminder of past times. And Peter Fraser and Michael Lane are leading the modern Grenache aesthetic with their incredibly thoughtful wines. With American winemaker Chris Carpenter, their Hickinbotham wines highlight a cross-Pacific tension that brings new horizons for classic styles. Michael Fragos at Chapel Hill, now a part of Endeavour Group, has also integrated the region’s heritage with the great challenges of today; namely environmental awareness, sustainability and governance. At Wirra Wirra, Matthew Deller MW has started to reshape and reenergize the business with the appointment of Emma Woods as Chief Winemaker to complement its talented team. Aware of its heritage, plans are afoot to build more richness of story and character in its portfolio.
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The Vintage Journal – Regional Focus
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