Editors notes
100% Grenache from the Smart Vineyard in Clarendon, farmed by Bernie and Wayne Smart. It's a southeast-facing slope at 230m above sea level. Soils are up to 750 million years old, Saddleworth Formation - laminated dark grey and green siltstone. These dry-grown bush vines were planted in 1956. Some 5.12 tonnes of fruit were harvested by hand on 16th March 2019.
Fermentation of 100% destemmed fruit took place in open-top stainless-steel pots. The fermenting must was pumped over three to six times per day. The wine spent a total of 12 days on skins. It was matured in a 2800-litre old French oak vat and puncheon. It was racked four times and the only addition was a pinch of sulphur at bottling, which took place on 22nd July 2020. pH 3.62; TA 7.2g/L; alcohol 14.5%; total SO2: 46ppm.
Details
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Wine Type
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Light (Light)Full (Full)
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Low Tannin (Low Tannin)Tannic (Tannic)
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Sweet (Sweet)Dry (Dry)
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Low Acidity (Low Acidity)High Acidity (High Acidity)
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Aroma
- Black Cherry
- Savoury
- Strawberry
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Palate
- Earthy
- Red Cherry
- Strawberry
Food Pairings
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Game -
Pork -
Red Meat
Critic Scores & reviews
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Gary Walsh
95"Vineyard planted in 1956, up 230 metres above the level of the sea in Clarendon. Bush vines. Big old oak. So exotic. So much spice and perfume. Cherry and berry pie, apricot, roast beef and roses. Juicy flavour, lots of spice, oranges, dense and tightly wound tannin, citrus peel and zesty tang to acidity, generous flavour but with a bony feel, very long with fresh raspberry and dried herb in the aftertaste. There’s a minor level of warmth here, but nothing of concern. Give it a little more time in bottle, and it will shine like a ruby."
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Ned Goodwin MW
96"Elevated old-vine Clarendon sourcing. Intense aromas of molten cherry liqueur, orange amaro, bergamot and cranberry. A fine vinous pulse, drawing the fore with the aft. Long attenuated filigreed tannins, sandy to be sure, but very fine. This is exceptional Grenache that, with a few others, sets the regional high tone."
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Huon Hooke
94""Bright, medium to full red/purple hue, with cherry-pip and sneaky spice aromas. The palate is full-bodied and firm with refreshing acidity underlining the trim but gently assertive tannins. Great balance: an excellent grenache. Lovely fruit expression here. The acidity seems high for grenache but it works well.""
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James Suckling
97"(2018 vintage) "An outstanding grenache from old bush vines in the Smart Vineyard, perched up on the Clarendon ridge line. This has an edge of white pepper and pomegranate with notes of bright raspberries and fresh leaves. This wine fuses elegance and power with a sleekly defined palate that carries real intensity in 2018. The structure is keenly tailored. Long and taut, red-fruit finish.""
Other vintages
Love this wine? Here's a list of other vintages we have in stock if you'd like to try them as well.
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- Variety Grenache
- Vintage 2019
- Brand S.C. Pannell
- Cellaring 10-15 Years
- Wine Type Red
- Alcohol Percentage 14.5% Alcohol
Sc Pannell Old Mcdonald Grenache 2019-
Gary Walsh96 points
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Huon Hooke95 points
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James Halliday95 points
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James Suckling96 points
$65.00
Current auction
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Locations
Australia
Australia's wine industry is a thriving part of the country's economy, contributing significantly to employment, production, export, and tourism. In fact, the industry is the fourth-largest wine exporter in the world, shipping out 760 million liters of wine to countries including France, Italy, Spain, and the UK. One of the key factors contributing to Australia's success as a "New World" wine producer is the formal export and marketing of its wines through Wine Australia.
Australia's wine regions are scattered across the south and southeast, with almost every state boasting its own vineyards. Victoria, for example, is home to an impressive 21 wine regions. Some of the most famous wine regions in Australia include Margaret River, Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Eden Valley, Clare Valley, Hunter Valley, Yarra Valley, and local regions to New South Wales such as Cowra, Southern Highlands, and Mudgee.
Australian winemakers are known for producing a diverse range of grape varieties, with Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Noir being among the most popular. They tend to focus on producing wines that are ripe, fruit-forward, and easy to drink, using modern winemaking techniques and equipment such as stainless steel tanks and temperature-controlled fermentation.
With its bold, fruit-driven flavors and reputation for quality and diversity, Australian wine has become a popular choice for wine lovers around the world. And with such a broad range of wine regions and grape varieties, there's something for every palate to enjoy.
South Australia
If you like Australian wine, then you probably like South Australia wine. The rich reds produced there put Australia on the wine-making map of the world. With over 40% of the country's vineyards, South Australia can rightfully call itself the wine state.
Wines are produced in several regions throughout the state, though many are naturally grouped together, like Barossa and Eden Valleys, only 15 minutes apart. They include such regions as Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, Eden Valley, Coonawarra, Adelaide Hills, Kangaroo Island, Langhorne Creek, The Limestone Coast, McLaren Vale and Wrattonbully to name but a few!
Barossa Valley boasts some of the oldest vines in Australia dating back to 1843 and produces some of the world's finest Shiraz, whilst the 'terra rossa' soils of Coonawarra is most suited to producing outstanding Cabernet Sauvignons. If you're a fan of Riesling, Clare Valley is a great place to explore and for a Maritime climate not dissimilar to parts of the Italian coastline, seek out the wines from McLaren Vale.
McLaren Vale
The McLaren Vale wine region is located less than an hours drive south of Adelaide, along the coastline.
Shiraz is by far the most widely planted variety, and the most important variety for the region, accounting for about 50% of the total crush. Every winery in the region will likely be producing at least one or more Shiraz wines, and with the wide range of unique terroirs available, each influenced by the maritime climate in unique ways, each Shiraz will have its own regional nuances.
Shiraz produced in McLaren Vale will often exhibit chocolate and coffee notes, with a little less pepper than those from Barossa Valley, and are often blended with Grenache. Other red varieties grown include Cabernet Sauvignon (and Merlot blends) Sangiovese, Tempranillo, Petit Verdot, Tannat and Zinfandel. The main white variety would be Chardonnay, however Semillon and it's common blending partner Sauvignon Blanc are made, alongside lesser amounts of Riesling, Pronto Bianco, Vermentino and Fiano.
If you plan to visit McLaren Vale there are over 65 cellar doors so you'll be spoiled for choice, ranging from the small-boutique wineries to very large wineries. The drive from McLaren Vale up to the Barossa Valley is very scenic, passing over the rolling Adelaide Hills, and though the quaint German-settled town of Hahndorf.
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About the brand S.C. Pannell
Esteemed by his contemporaries in Australia, Steve Pannell has been named as one of the 50 most influential contributors to the wine world by Decanter Magazine and has twice won Australia's coveted Jimmy Watson trophy - most recently in 2014 for his 2013 Adelaide Hills Syrah. Having produced vintages at Wirra Wirra and Hardy's Tintara before working overseas in Burgundy's Domaine des Comtes Lafon, Bordeaux's Chateau Mouton Rothschild and G.D. Vajra in Barolo.
Pannell's ethos is simple: "I try to create wines that suit our climate and way of life - wines to drink with the food we grow, make and eat in Australia."
The portfolio is based on parcels of old-vine, dry-grown Shiraz and Grenache from McLaren Vale and continued to expand to include Nebbiolo, Tempranillo and Touriga Nacional in addition to aromatic whites from the Adelaide Hills. Pannell's preferred winemaking techniques include open fermentation using natural yeasts. By maturing his wines in large format oak, Pannell retains each variety's integrity, showcasing its quintessential characteristics.
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