Introducing the debut release of Steve Pannell's new baby, the stunning 2022 Little Branch Grenache. Pannell purchased this gem of a vineyard in the Blewitt Springs dress-circle 2021, which boasts ancient Maslin Beach sands and 30-year-old vines. These vines, combined with the unique ironstone-flecked soils at 140 meters above sea level, bring a lot of character to this wine. As always, Pannell employs traditional techniques like whole bunch fermentation and aging in old French oak vats. The wine is fermented with a small percentage of whole clusters and left on skins for 13 days before being pressed and matured. This hands-off approach really lets the vineyard’s natural qualities shine through. When you take a sip, you’re hit with bright red fruits like raspberry and strawberry, followed by a complex array of spices—cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and cassia. There’s a hint of toffee apple and spun sugar, finishing with musk and rose oil. The texture is smooth and sophisticated, with stealthy tannins that build up slowly, leaving a lasting impression. A remarkable first Little Branch release from Steve, and surely a wine to watch and collect for many years to come. Extremely limited. 97 points"This is an impactful grenache made by somebody who prizes Italian wines. The tannins are an immense force field, with kirsch, strawberries and dried Mediterranean herbs, and a note of almond husk that gives noble bitterness. The density, poise and grace are thoroughly impressive. This is a structured grenache built for the cellar."- Ned Goodwin (James Suckling)

Stephen Pannell continues to excel with his amazing array of intriguing varietals and blends, capturing significant attention amongst critics and consumers alike. He is without a doubt a name to keep an eye on! Leap into something a little different and unique here, with a blend that manages to capture the essence of the Iberian Peninsula, Spain. Bright and juicy with medium weight, a highly perfumed spectrum of plum and dark berry fruits meet exotic spice and scented florals. There's even a slight meaty character adding to the complexity and gentle savoury tannins round out the package. In a word, delicious! 'The cool, wet summer of 2010-11 has imparted peppery and vegetal aromas, while the palate is medium-bodied and slightly edgy, with some leanness and not a lot of flesh. Smooth, appealing current drinking. A nice take on Portuguese - style reds. Ready to drink now to 2020.' - 90/100. - Sydney Morning Herald, 04 Jun 2013, by Huon Hooke.

A single-block Shiraz from 80-year-old vines. Hand harvested. The fruit, spends 10 days on skins, hard pressings removed. Moved to puncheons for malolactic conversion & maturation, 14 months on oak. An approachable, yet complex, drop. A nose of Red berries, earthy tones & baking spice. A full & fleshy palate of plums, berries, dried spice, & chocolate with robust tannin structure.

Here we have yet another remarkable release from one of Australia's greatest winemakers. The 'Sunrise Grenache' comes off a single block within Steve Pannell’s Little Branch vineyard in Blewitt Springs – old bush vines planted in 1920, producing their 99th vintage in 2022. It’s a site Steve knows like the back of his hand, dry grown and rooted deep in Blewitt’s ancient sand. When he took over the block, he pruned the vines himself, working them back to balance. The payoff has been extraordinary. The 2022 season was long and cool, giving small yields and near-perfect ripeness. Steve handled the fruit the only way he knows how – by feel. Hand-picked, gently fermented, nothing added, nothing forced. Just patience, old oak, and total trust in the vineyard. The result is breathtaking. Bright yet layered, pure yet deep, it threads red fruit, spice and fine sandy tannins into something seamless. It’s poised, complete, and easily one of the greatest Grenaches Steve has ever made – a wine that marks a turning point not just for the vineyard, but for McLaren Vale Grenache itself. 100 points"In many ways, it feels as if all of the Grenache that Pannell has made over the decades has been leading up to this point. It was worth the wait."- Erin Larkin (The Wine Advocate)