Release Notes
Yangarra
The latest Yangarra releases, a highwater mark for High Sands Grenache, boundary-pushing Rhône varieties, and powerful, cellar-worthy McLaren Vale Shiraz.
McLaren Vale
South Australia
Overview
This iconic region, which sits to the south of Adelaide, is one of Australia’s most vibrant regions offering up a diverse range of wines thanks to a complex pattern of soils and elevation. It is also a home to experimentation and many alternate grape varieties offering a style to suit every taste.
Journals
Stories and reviews where McLaren Vale is the central subject or a defining thread.
Release Notes
2026 Penfolds Collection
An exemplary release offering many classical and distinct vintages with character and aging potential. 2024 Yattarna Chardonnay, 2022 Grange Shiraz, 2024 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz, 2024 Bin 169 Cabernet Sauvignon (probably the best ever) and 2023 Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon (California) are standouts while 2025 Bin A Chardonnay, 2024 Bin 150 Shiraz, 2024 Bin 798 Shiraz, […]
Release Notes
Beresford turns 40
Beresford at 40 – benchmark McLaren Vale wines, emerging Mediterranean varieties, and a legacy built on quality and innovation.
Story
Vale Grenache artisan Peter Fraser
Remembering Peter Fraser – a pioneering force behind McLaren Vale Grenache, Yangarra’s rise to fine-wine prominence, and a lasting legacy of innovation, finesse and place.
Release Notes
Yangarra High Sands Grenache Vertical 2010-2024 Vintages
A vertical of Yangarra High Sands Grenache – old-vine McLaren Vale Grenache, pioneering sustainable viticulture, and Peter Fraser’s relentless pursuit of elegance, texture and place.
Release Notes
2026 Chapel Hill Release
Chapel Hill’s creative winemaking and viticultural team, led by chief winemaker Michael Fragos, continue to make exemplary wines despite the pressures of being owned by vertically integrated retail giant Endeavour Group. The wines are all buoyant, pure and fresh. Underlying ferruginous notes promote energy and flow across the palate while offsetting generous pure fruit flavours […]
Release Notes
2025 Chapel Hill Release
The story of Chapel Hill is interconnected with the McLaren Vale renaissance during the 1970s. Its fame was indelibly linked to the pioneering winemaker Pam Dunsford who broke ground for women in wine during the 1970s and 1980s. Situated on the edge of the Onkaparinga gorge, Chapel Hill draws fruit from its own vineyards and […]
Release Notes
E.J. McDougall 2026 Release
The 2026 E.J. McDougall releases – patient ambition, classical Australian fine wine, and the confident emergence of a négociant-éleveur with a clear sense of purpose.
Release Notes
E.J. McDougall 2025 Release
The 2025 EJ McDougall Release – regional authenticity, uncompromising vineyard selection, and a modern Australian voice shaped by global perspective.
Producers in McLaren Vale
Browse the producers most closely associated with the McLaren Vale record.
Browse all
From the Chronicles
Archival fragments and short dispatches tied to McLaren Vale.
Landmark Wine: 1996 Clarendon Hills Astralis Syrah
Former biochemist Roman Bratasiuk, of Clarendon Hills in McLaren Vale, completely broke the mould during the 1990s. The Australian Wine Show system, through its awarding of trophies and gold medals, championed a narrow style range. The release of the 1996 Astralis (the 1994 vintage was the first Australian wine to be released at over $100 […]
Other regions to explore
Continue through Australia’s leading regions, each with its own lineage and record.
Browse all
