MC1R: Blonde
⏳ Drinking Window
2023 - 2026
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
roasted chicken, creamy mushroom risotto, spicy Thai green curry
✨ Technical Specifications
Named after the melanocortin 1 receptor gene responsible for red hair, MC1R: Blonde is a playful, tongue-in-cheek nod to the RedHeads winery identity. This expressive white blend is crafted to challenge the dominance of traditional Australian white styles by marrying Rhône varieties, primarily Viognier and Roussanne, sourced from premium South Australian vineyards. The winemakers employ minimal intervention, utilizing gentle pressing and partial barrel fermentation to build a textured, complex palate. The result is a wine that beautifully balances luscious stone fruit and exotic floral aromatics with a vibrant, mineral-driven freshness, embodying the rebellious and creative spirit of the RedHeads studio.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 2002 by the UK-based Laithwaite family, RedHeads Wine evolved from an avant-garde collective of moonlighting South Australian winemakers into a purpose-built, eco-conscious estate in the Barossa Valley. Operating out of an off-grid winery in Angaston, the producer champions small-batch 'grape liberation,' sourcing distinctive micro-parcels from independent growers across the Barossa, McLaren Vale, Adelaide Hills, and Eden Valley alongside its own eight-hectare certified organic estate vineyard. Viticulture and vinification prioritize environmental stewardship, confirmed by NASAA organic certification and international accolades for sustainable power and water conservation. In the cellar, head winemaker Alex Trescowthick employs open-top ferments, native yeasts, and sensitive oak regimens tailored to individual varietal profiles. The portfolio bridges Barossa power and aromatic precision, showcased through benchmark releases such as the 1888 Cabernet Sauvignon, Harmonie Rox Chardonnay, Triplex, and characterful Rhône and Mediterranean single-vineyard expressions.
🍇 Grapes
Viognier, Roussanne
🍷 ABV
13%