Growing together
An exciting collaboration is bringing together South Australia’s premium grapegrowers and boutique makers to benefit the local community. In your glass? A specialty range of incredibly good reds.
Wineries and winemakers get plenty of glory but when you consider wines that stand out from the pack, grapes deserve a lot of the credit. And the best vines and fruit owe their characteristics not only to their terroir but also the skill, care and dedication of the hands that plant and tend them.
Faced with unpredictable weather, bushfires and the vagaries of farming (not to mention pandemics), the path of a viticulturist may not be easy but it is a passionate one.
Wine brand The Group is all about putting the people who usually work behind the scenes front and centre. Bottling wine from the fruit raised by a 100-strong collective of growers, this community-focused label is on a mission to showcase the best fruit by the best vineyards across the mighty McLaren Vale and Adelaide Hills. By working exclusively with the collective, The Group is not only positioned to make the best wines nature can deliver every year but to support the livelihoods of individual growers. But the power in numbers goes far beyond the individual. Working collaboratively shares expertise from vineyard to vineyard for the benefit of the local industry and community.
Marnie Roberts is The Group’s winemaker. She spends her days visiting vineyards across the state, testing the fruit, making the wine and hosting tastings with the growers. She’s happy to share the limelight. “All the work is done in the vineyard – that’s where the magic happens. Yes, you can finesse the final product in the bottle but, essentially, my job is to ensure the wine is a true reflection of that premium fruit.”
The Group’s range now comprises five reds celebrating grenache, shiraz, pinot noir and a blend of merlot, mourvèdre and cabernet. The Murder Shiraz, a delicate and refined drop with earthy notes backed by blackberry and liquorice, began with third-generation McLaren Vale grapegrowers Brian and Valerie Cameron.
The Amadio family has been growing grape varieties in the Adelaide Hills town of Kersbrook since 1936. The Shadow wine crafted from their pinot noir has aromas of cherry blossom, sage and star anise that open into a lovely, structured, slightly savoury flavour.
“The Group’s joint forces create a range of truly exceptional wines,” says Roberts. If you’re into drinking local, this is as special as it gets. You can taste passion inside the bottle.
Individually Great, Collectively Better.
Discover The Group wines at Liquorland, First Choice Liquor Market, Vintage Cellars and thegroupwines.com.au