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Clonakilla are one of our nation's most eminent vineyard wineries, a tiny production operation, established by a CSIRO scientist at Murrumbateman, very near Canberra. It turned out to be a fortuitous planting, with a climate not dissimilar to Bordeaux and northern Rhone, the Clonakilla property now occupies a rank next to the mighty Grange on the prestigious Exceptional Langtons Classification, it yields vintages of Australia's most invaluable Shiraz. At $26.99, the estate's entry level belies its stature and excellence within the pantheon of great Australian wine, an essential experience this week for all enthusiasts, a canny choice for shrewd and judicious aspirants of elite new world Shiraz... Here's what our most picky pundits prefer»

Scarpantoni Block 3 Shiraz CONFIRM VINTAGE

Shiraz McLaren Vale South Australia
From the home of the 2007 Jimmy Watson, the fruit of McLaren Vale's illustrious Block 3 has also claimed Winestate Shiraz of Year and hotly contested VISY Great Australian Shiraz Challenge. Estate founder Domenico Scarpantoni established a peerless reputation as vitculturalist during distinguished tours of duty at Seaview and Thomas Hardy Tintara. Block 3 sets the benchmark in McLaren Vale Shiraz, vinified from grapes hand picked off gnarled and parched, dry grown old vines, seventy years and more of age.
Available in cartons of six
Case of 6
$275.50
Scarpantoni pride themselves on making wine from fruit grown to their own vineyards. The sites are scattered around McLaren Vale, all enjoy their own soil profiles, aspects and exposure, factors which influence the grapes, ultimately defining the character of the finished wines. Scarpantoni's vineyards were planted by the family themselves, except for one. Block 3 was established in the 1940s, now source to a pure, single vineyard wine. Block 3 runs along the right hand side of the Scarpantoni wineworks, on a patch of sandy soil which retains moisture at lower depths, ensuring natural nourishment for the deep rooted vines throughout the most severe of droughts. It yields a harvest of the most remarkable quality Shiraz.
Inky purple/ black in colour. Exquisite bouquet of ripe, aromatic blackcurrant, liquorice and nutty, toasted oak. The palate is full and rich with coffee, cassis and spice characters balanced by fine tannins and elegant acidity. Ripe blackberries, licorice, cinnamon and mocha are the hallmark Block 3 characters. To accompany slowly braised osso bucco or middle eastern seasoned lamb stew and couscous.
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Scarpantoni
Domenico Scarpantoni immigrated to Australia in 1952, travelling and working around the country before settling in with Thomas Hardy and Sons at Tintara in the McLaren Vale

McLaren Vale is a picturesque country town approximately 45 km south of Adelaide, South Australia. With its vineyards sprawling over hundreds of undulating kilometres, it is the toast of South Australia's world-renowned Fleurieu Peninsular.

Scarpantoni

The town is bordered to the North, South and East by the ancient rolling Willunga Hills, while to the West lies the sparkling waters of the Gulf of St. Vincent.

With the sea being so close, less than 10km from the centre of town, the climate is quite moderate, almost Mediterranean.

Domenico soon discovered the region was ideal for viticulture and it was there in 1958 that he bought his first property of just 5.6 hectares.

Scarpantoni

Later he was to become vineyard manager for Seaview Wines of McLaren Vale and was responsible for the contoured vineyards that Seaview were renowned for in the 1960s. In 1968, the original school property of 20 hectares was purchased in the adjacent town of McLaren Flat.

In the years following, a further 12 hectares of adjoining land was purchased, making him one of the largest growers in the region at that time. In 1979, the winery was built with the aid of his wife Paula and two sons, Michael and Filippo, on the McLaren Flat property, with only a percentage of the tonnage harvest released onto the market under the Scarpantoni label.

The last two decades has seen major expansions to the Estate including the purchase of a property in the heart of McLaren Vale. This includes plantings of premium Shiraz, a wetlands development, a fully renovated winery and cellar door, and the future restoration of a historical homestead.

To this day, the winery is very much a family business with every step of production, from viticulture to the packaged product done entirely on the premises. This gives total control over every stage of the winemaking process and ensures that the highest standards are maintained.

Scarpantoni