SC Pannell, Grenache

ONE MOMENT STEVE Pannell is a Young Turk; the next he’s a Grand Old man. (Not old at all – sorry, Steve.) One moment Australian Grenache is trying to be Shiraz, with overripeness, masses of extraction; the next it’s the warm-climate answer to Pinot, with delicacy, lightness, freshness and a mission to reflect every terroir that comes its way.

That Aussie Grenache has blossomed into such a great delicacy is in large measure due to Pannell. His wines have always had a lightness of touch; before he set up his own winery he was chief red winemaker at Hardy’s for 10 years, and before that he worked vintages around Europe (Aldo vajra, Barolo; Domaines Dujac and Pousse d’Or, Burgundy): Nebbiolo, Pinot and now Grenache – you see the pattern.

He works with old, dry-farmed vines, picks early for freshness and keeps it all simple, with reductive winemaking and early bottling. The result is Grenache with Turkish-delight and raspberry flavours, floral and aromatic with violets, roses and dried herbs. The texture is silky, but with an enlivening edge of tannin. He says he doesn’t know why his wines turn out so well; this might not be the whole truth.

Even better news is that he’s one of many mcLaren vale winemakers doing great things with Grenache. Other names include Bekkers, D’Arenberg, marmont, Ochota Barrels, Yangarra Estate. If you want transparency, lightness and freshness in Australian Grenache, mcLaren vale is where to look.

From the 2017 vintage, this wine is to be named Old mcDonald Grenache, after its vineyard source in Blewitt Springs.