Hedonist Sangiovese 2021 - McLaren Vale, Australia

Organic - Currently undergoing NASAA certification

90/100 Ned Goodwin MW (Halliday Wine Companion)
92/100 Ned Goodwin MW (Halliday Wine Companion) (2019 vintage)
94/100 Ned Goodwin MW (Halliday Wine Companion) (2018 vintage)
90/100 James Suckling (2018 vintage)
91/100 James Button (Decanter) (2016 vintage)
Bronze The Wine Front (2016 vintage)
Bronze The Wine Front (2014 vintage)

Ned Goodwin MW "Medium bodied with just enough tannic framework, grape and vanillin oak, to keep the fruit sweetness from slipping into excess."

Ned Goodwin MW "Dark cherry, lavender, tar, anise and a swab of olive-paste notes, carried long by jittery acidity. The skein of savoury tannins is firm, lithe and highly impressive." (2019 Vintage)

Ned Goodwin MW "Ooh la la....this is joyous! A celebration of all that is - and can be - with this cantankerous, voluminous variety. And when it is good, it is lipsmacking and delicious. Few other red grape varieties facilItate so many dining options. A curb of frisky tannin and curl of herb offset sour cherry and bergamot notes. Crunchy. Long. Really delicious, based on saliva-sucking succulence alone. Ready for the next glass? I am!" (2018 Vintage)

James Suckling "A nose of bright red flowers and cherries leads to crisp, succulent red-fruit flavors." (2018 Vintage)

James Suckling "A nose of bright red flowers and cherries leads to crisp, succulent red-fruit flavors." (2018 Vintage)

James Button "An excellent alternative to Chianti Classico if you want a bit more heft.....Blended with 6% Cabernet for some additional structure, this Sangiovese has a dusky red fruit nose and a cherry and plum character on the palate. There is some grip from the ripe, chocolatey tannins, and notes of tar, black pepper, star-anise and mint on the finish. " (2016 Vintage)

Australian Wine Companion "Walter Clappis has been making wine in McLaren Vale for 40 years, and over that time has won innumerable trophies and gold medals, including the prestigious George Mackey Memorial Trophy with his '09 The Hedonist Shiraz, chosen as the best wine exported from Australia that year. Daughter Kimberly and son-in-law James Cooter (both with impressive CVs) support him on the winery floor. The NASAA-certified organic and biodynamic estate plantings of shiraz, cabernet sauvignon, tempranillo and grenache are the cornerstones of the business."

The Hedonist is a NASAA certified organic and biodynamic winery in the heart of South Australia's famous McLaren wine district. Esteemed owner Walter Clappis is Australia's only winemaker to win one of Australia's most prestigious wine awards, The Dan Murphy Trophy, three times. The Hedonist adopts a minimalistic and organic approach to winemaking, prioritising biodynamics and sustainability. The Hedonist is a multi-award winning winery.

The McLaren Vale wine region is located approximately 35 kilomters south of Adelaide. It is by far the most important wine-producing area in the Fleurieu zone and is also regarded very highly throughout Australia and the world. A wide array of grape varieties can be successfully grown here. The best wines come from very old vines, some planted more than 100 years ago. These are prized for producing low yields of extremely concentrated fruit. Shiraz leads the region's list of award-winning wines, making McLaren Vale a favorite place to grow this grape. Cabernet Sauvignon is another prominent grape variety, along with Grenache and Mourvedre, which, together with Shiraz, make up some of the most acclaimed GSM blends here. Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc dominate McLaren Vale's white grape varieties, with a plethora of other regional and international specialties such as Merlot, Zinfandel, Tempranillo, Sangiovese and Viognier also making their mark.

Sangiovese (or Nielluccio in Corsica), a dark-berried vine, is the most widely planted grape variety in Italy. Virtually synonymous with the red wines of Tuscany, and all the romanticism that goes with the territory, Sangiovese is the core constituent in some of the great names in Italian wine. Italy's love affair with Sangiovese – and indeed the world's – is generations old, though recent grapevine research suggests the variety is not as ancient as once thought.