2022 S.C. Pannell Merrivale Shiraz, McLaren Vale

A wine for the future. The bright purple colour is impenetrably deep, and there's power plus on the nose. A mélange of crushed black and red fruits, fig syrup, ink, minerally earth, and a thread of vanilla mark the aroma. The full-bodied palate is rich in flavour, essency and sumptuous in feel, yet it's not too jammy or sweet. A dark chocolaty thread carries through big, ripe, layered tannins on the finish. Wow! 05 Dec 2024 Drink 2027–2045

95 points Ralph Kyte-Powell therealreview.com

S.C. Pannell Merrivale Shiraz from McLaren Vale is a strikingly elegant single-vineyard wine that showcases the finesse and detail possible from this historic South Australian region. It’s crafted by Stephen Pannell—one of Australia’s most respected and forward-thinking winemakers—who approaches Shiraz not as a blunt instrument, but as a vehicle for site expression and structure.

The fruit comes from the Merrivale vineyard, located in the cooler Blewitt Springs subregion of McLaren Vale. Here, ancient sandy soils and elevated sites provide Shiraz with brightness, perfume, and finely etched tannins. It’s a spot known for producing wines that are more lifted and aromatic than the denser styles from the valley floor.

Stephen Pannell takes a gentle, low-intervention approach to the winemaking—hand harvesting, wild fermentation, partial whole bunch inclusion, and maturation in large format French oak to frame the wine without smothering its natural vibrancy. The result is a wine that walks a beautiful line between richness and restraint.

In the glass, it shows layers of dark plum, blueberry, lavender, cracked pepper, and a dusting of cocoa. The palate is medium bodied with mouth-coating fruit, sinewy tannins, and a savoury, mineral line that carries through to a long, elegant finish.

This is modern McLaren Vale Shiraz with a Burgundian sensibility—structured, graceful, and made to age. Perfect with roast duck, lamb cutlets, or grilled eggplant with harissa.