Grenache “The Hundred Clarendon” McLaren Vale 2020 – Willunga 100

To produce the Grenache “The Hundred Clarendon” McLaren Vale Willunga 100, fruit was hand harvested, destemmed and whole berry sorted into stainless steel, open top fermenters. The whole berry ferment spent 10 days on skins, during which time it was gently plunged to ensure optimum extraction while maintaining the delicate aromatics. The wine was basket-pressed off the skins before ageing on lees in aged French oak puncheons to retain fruit purity and freshness.

The 98-year-old vines that make this wine are located in the Clarendon subregion of McLaren Vale. The single vineyard is situated on the moderate to steep hills of the Clarendon-Onkaparinga Gorge. In comparison to Blewitt Springs, Clarendon is higher in altitude and has a more continental climate. Loam soils over red-brown clay on bedrock produce fruit of outstanding quality.

Willunga 100 is in McLaren Vale, south of Adelaide. The grapes come from a range of selected vineyards in McLaren Vale, including some over 80 years old. Head winemaker Skye Salter is supported by Mike Farmilo who has 40 years of experience working in McLaren Vale. Together they aim to produce unique and distinctive wines which capture the essence of the region. They use modern equipment alongside traditional winemaking techniques to ferment the small parcels of fruit arriving at the winery. The term “hundred” originates from late Saxon and Norman England and refers to an administrative unit of government, meaning that 100+ households had to live in the area to qualify for its place on the map. Willunga 100 select their fruit from small parcels just as the district was divided up into ‘100s’, or small lots.