McLaren Sand Hills Grenache
⏳ Drinking Window
2022 - 2028
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted duck, grilled lamb chops, Moroccan vegetable tagine
✨ Technical Specifications
d'Arenberg's relationship with Grenache is legendary, dating back to the winery's earliest days in McLaren Vale. This wine highlights the unique terroir of McLaren Vale's elevated sand hills, particularly around the Blewitt Springs sub-region, where ancient, deep sandy soils force the old vines to dig deep for water. This specific terroir imparts a distinctively aromatic, elegant, and perfumed character to the Grenache, contrasting with the heavier clay-grown styles. In the cellar, d'Arenberg remains fiercely traditional: grapes are gently foot-trodden in open fermenters and pressed using historic basket presses, followed by aging in seasoned oak casks to preserve the vibrant, spicy red fruit profile and fine-grained tannins that define sandy-soil Grenache.
🍾 About the Producer
Founded in 1912 by Joseph Osborn, d'Arenberg has grown into one of McLaren Vale's most iconic and storied family-owned estates in South Australia. Under the visionary stewardship of fourth-generation winemaker Chester Osborn, the winery adheres strictly to traditional, sustainable methods, utilizing certified organic and biodynamic viticulture along with foot-treading and basket pressing. Renowned for its eclectic naming conventions and distinctive red-stripe label, the estate crafts a wide spectrum of expressive wines with a particular mastery of Rhône varieties, old-vine Grenache, and robust Shiraz. Signature bottlings such as 'The Dead Arm Shiraz' and 'The Ironstone Pressings' stand as benchmarks of regional depth, complexity, and age-worthy character.
🍇 Grape Varieties
Grenache
🍷 Alcohol By Volume (ABV)
14-14.5%