Vale could potentially be better served by splitting it into two, McLaren Vale and Clarendon, with wines from the picturesque town of Clarendon and surrounding areas sometimes displaying more similarities with the Adelaide Hills than those down the hill at Willunga and around the township of McLaren Vale. The wide range of regional Shiraz styles is really no great surprise thanks to the diversity in altitude, extending from close to sea level all the way up to 400 metres. Climate is an important piece of the puzzle, but geology also plays a significant role. It would not be hard to argue that McLaren Vale has some of the most complex geology of any wine region in Australia, and that is, perhaps, its strongest card to build greater international appeal, particularly amongst wine collectors. The knowledge of regional geology possessed by many winemakers is incredibly impressive, which allows these practitioners to craft multi-layered wines through a deeper understanding of these differing geologies and the impacts on the resulting wines. Is McLaren Vale our own Burgundy or Mosel equivalent, the folds in the earth and geology making a rich tapestry of wines that will only become more apparent as we hone in on which grape varieties are best to interpret its unique terroirs? There are over 40 unique geologies in McLaren Vale, some of which are over 650 million years of age. One of the key elements is the Maslin Sands, deposited between two and 50 million years ago by strong winds and the surging ocean, the resulting geology of gravels, sands, silts and clays covering an area from Maslin Beach up through Blewitt Springs to Kangarilla. Old river channels added their own kaleidoscope of unique soil profiles, as the ocean drained away. In the early years before irrigation, establishing vineyards on the right soils with good water holding capacity was key, with the Maslin Sands providing the right conditions for vines to flourish. Today, vineyards are found on a broad array of soils types, each with their own unique influence on complexity and style. While it is difficult to tease apart the influences of soil and climate, there are distinctive wine styles from each of the various unofficial subregions, most discernibly in the local Shiraz. Clarendon and Blewitt Springs show some of the strongest terroir influences, Blewitt Springs producing a more elegant, poised and focussed expression of McLaren Vale, ranging from peppery and red-fruited examples to more brooding
38
The Vintage Journal – Regional Focus
Powered by FlippingBook