In episode 263 of The Drinking Hour, host David Kermode speaks to celebrated winemakers Steve Pannell and Renae Hirsch about what makes Australia’s Mclaren Vale a special place for wine, including its success with Grenache, and the emerging wave of lighter, fresher, terroir-driven wines.
The podcast begins with Pannell and his guide to the region, including its climate, soil types and grape varieties. He explains what he loves about Grenache and why it has the character and quality to be considered as a standalone variety, rather than a lesser substitute for Pinot Noir. He then covers the varieties yielding great white and rosé wines in the Mclaren Vale, as well as the future role the area has to be play on the Australian wine scene.
The conversation with Hirsch starts with her work with old-vine Grenache and the unique, site-specific expressions made by Willunga 100. She then discusses the potential of white varieties from Italy and southern France in the region.
Discover more episodes of The Drinking Hour with David Kermode here.
