MC1R: Rouge
⏳ Drinking Window
2021 - 2025
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Grilled ribeye steak, slow-cooked lamb shanks, aged Cheddar cheese
✨ Technical Specifications
Named after the Melanocortin 1 receptor—the scientific term for the gene that determines red hair—MC1R: Rouge is a playful yet deeply serious nod to the RedHeads winery's rebellious identity. Crafted in South Australia, this blend typically marries the structure and dark fruit profile of Cabernet Sauvignon with the plush, spicy richness of Shiraz. The grapes are sourced from select independent growers across premium South Australian regions, where warm days and cooling gulf breezes allow the fruit to develop intense concentration while retaining balanced acidity. Fermented in small batches and aged in a combination of French and American oak, the wine delivers a complex profile of blackcurrant, plum, subtle eucalyptus, and sweet baking spices, wrapped in velvety tannins. It stands as a testament to the winery's mission of rescuing exceptional parcels of fruit to create wines with distinct personality and narrative flair.
🍾 About the Producer
Founded in the early 2000s as an unconventional garagiste collective in South Australia, RedHeads was created to liberate talented winemakers from corporate constraints and allow them to craft expressive, small-batch passion projects. Today operating from a purpose-built, eco-friendly winery in the Barossa Valley, the producer focuses on sustainable viticulture, utilizing solar energy, water reclamation, and gentle, hands-on production methods. Sourcing prime fruit from dedicated growers across South Australia's premier sub-regions, RedHeads crafts daring, fruit-forward wines that challenge conventional styles. The winery is acclaimed for its distinct, vividly labeled portfolio, headlined by rich, characterful reds such as Dogs of the Barossa Shiraz, Whip-Hand Cabernet Sauvignon, and innovative multi-varietal blends.
🍇 Grape Varieties
Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz
🍷 Alcohol By Volume (ABV)
14-14.5%