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Sitting proudly next to the iconic Woodhenge gate at Wirra is a classic Aussie residence. Originally built after severe storms destroyed the winery buildings in 1940, the then owners, the Sparrows, built this residence with left over materials from the fallen winery. Over the years, Sparrow's Lodge has been home to vintage vagabonds and the occasional winemaker and it is the good times that have been had within its walls that is celebrated in this wonderful, rich, vibrant and full-bodied McLaren Vale Shiraz.

Utilising the winemaking talents of Larry Cherubino and over 40 years of winemaking experience himself, Robert Oatley lends his name to this McLaren Vale Shiraz that has all the hallmarks of an exceptional regional example. Matured for 10 months in French oak and sourced from fruit from around the sub-region of Blewitt Springs, this Shiraz is opulent, fleshy and textured with flavours of blueberries and spice with a lingering, soft finish.

The premium fruit parcels for this Shiraz wine were sent to the winerys Vintage House and crushed into 7-decade old concrete vats. Fermentation was carried out by wild yeasts found on the skins of the fruit. This was followed by careful extraction. Post fermentation maceration was done next and the drink transferred to American and French oak hogsheads for malolactic fermentation. 14 to 16 months later, the resultant wine was racked and filtered.

Cherry red. Enticing primary aromas of ripe strawberries, cherries and roses are highlighted with hints of earthy chocolate. Bright summer berries fill the lively, medium weight palate. The luscious Grenache is complemented and structurally enhanced by the darker berry flavours and ripe tannins of the Shiraz and Mourvèdre, offering immediate appeal, whilst with age the wine will develop an attractive, savoury complexity.

This wine is vibrant, perfumed Grenache with classic raspberry, musk and earthy notes. Serve lightly chilled. McLaren Vale is Australias foremost region for Grenache, where it was historically largely used for fortified wines and as a workhorse blending variety, frequently with Shiraz and Mourvedre/Mataro. Full-bodied examples rival Australias greatest Shiraz wines and this particular style, which highlights the varietys inherent deep red fruit characters, is fast gaining in popularity. This wine is vibrant, perfumed Grenache with classic raspberry, musk and earthy notes. Serve lightly chilled.

Awards & Reviews95 Points - Sam Kim 94 Points - James HallidayDescriptionDescriptionIntense spice, berry and chocolate aromas with integrated oak notes. Full Bodied and bursting with a complex mix of flavours of mocha, vanilla and intense red berry flavours. Great middle palate sweetness with well integrated American oak.Drink now to 15 years.

This rich, full bodied, fruit driven Shiraz features well integrated oak balance with supple tannins and a smooth finish. Vegan friendly.McLaren Vale, “The Vale” is home to sustainable winegrowing in Australia with the highest number of certified organic and biodynamic vineyards in the country. David Paxton’s history of grape-growing in the Vale started in 1979 and today Paxton is a fully certified organic and biodynamic wine company who embrace sustainable practises in their vineyards and winery. Vale Organics honours McLaren Vale and the organic pioneers of this wonderfully innovative and sustainable wine growing region.

Good winter rains set the vines up well for the ensuing dry, warm growing season. The ripening period was characterised again by warm, dry condition without excessive heat which gifted us rich, opulent reds with well-balanced structure. The moderate weather allowed us to harvest fruit at optimal ripeness. The Shiraz in particular demonstrates rafts of blackberry, fennel and earthy characters, typical hallmarks of a classic d’Arenberg red. Produced in close partnership with some of Australia's finest vineyards, Collaborations is our new capsule range of five wines. After over a year of tasting and scoring, we arrived at our core collection of wines: a Brown Brothers prosecco, a Mr Riggs shiraz, a Yering Station chardonnay, a Pizzini pinot grigio and a Xanadu cabernet sauvignon. Get to know the new Vintage Cellars Collaborations range.