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Wine Region
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Barossa Valley, South Australia
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Wine Maker
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Peter Schell
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Peter Schell and Magali Gely started Spinifex in 2001, with the opportunity to source some great old vine Mataro growing in deep white drift-sand on the Barossa Valleys’ Western Ridge. Their focus is on making regional wines from the traditional Mediterranean grape varieties that have been grown successfully in Australia for over 150 years - Shiraz, Mataro, Grenache, Cinsault, Carignan, Ugni Blanc, Grenache Gris, Marsanne and Semillon. The aim to make wines that display signatures of vineyard provenance and vintage, show regional typicity and have a consistent thread of 'house style' that reflects our preferences and experiences with wine. The wines they make are predominately blends; the synergies derived from blending wines of differing character enhance the subtle complexities, even textures and profound personalities delivered from great old vine vineyards..."
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Peter Schell and Magali Gely have had a home in the Barossa Valley for over ten years and hold a strong commitment to and passion for the Barossa. They also have a strong French connection, both physically and philosophically.
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Magali's family, who up until recently were vignerons with a long lineage in Lunel, near Montpellier, still live in south west France, and over the last ten years Peter has worked six French vintages, in Provence, the Languedoc, Bordeaux and Burgundy. Time spent in the south of France has fuelled their interest in making unique, hand crafted wines with personality, which are generous and honest expressions of the varieties and their provenance.
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Grapes are sourced from a group of dedicated growers in both the Barossa and Eden Valleys, taking advantage of the great diversity of the soils and meso-climates of the Barossa to create wines with balance, character, depth of flavour and Barossan generosity.
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What the critics think
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Five Star Winery Rating - 2007 Shiraz Viognier – 96 points, 2007 Esprit – 94 points, 2008 Lola – 91 points, 2008 Papillon – 91 points
James Halliday – The Australian Wine Companion – 2010
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2006 Spinifex Esprit - 96 points
“I like this wine. A lot. In fact, of the 6000-odd wines I tasted for the Penguin Wine Guide this year, I awarded this the Wine of the Year. I also awarded Spinifex Winery of the Year in the same book. Earlier in the year I crowned the couple behind the project, Pete Schell and Magali Gely, with the 2008 Young Gun of Wine Award. Then, just recently in the Adelaide Review Hot 100, line honors and Wine of the Year went to another of their wines, the 2006 Indigene. I'm not going to describe the 2006 Esprit; it's a genius blended red with more style, personality and soul than 100 others all put together. Buy it while you can!”
Nick Stock – The Adelaide Review – November 2008
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2007 Spinifex Lola - Inspired by his time working in Provence, winemaker Pete Schell has created a fabulous multi-varietal white (Marsanne, trebbiano, vermentino, grenache blanc - you name it, it’s here) with superb, satisfying flavours of spiced honey and quince.
2007 Spinifex Rosé - A blend of grenache, cinsault and Mourvédre, this is serious rosé for grown-ups. Pale to look at, spicy and floral to smell, it starts dry and lean in the mouth, then builds to a weighty, textural finish. Again, a steaming bowl of garlicky fish soup would set this off a treat.
2007 Spinifex Papillon - Completing the Spinifex mod-Med trifecta, this gorgeous young blend of grenache, cinsault and Mourvédre is ravishing, succulent and bouncy, with pepper laid over black cherry fruit. Style-wise, this is Languedoc-meets-Beaujolais. Spicy sausages, please.
30 Great Summer Wines Under $30 by Max Allen - Gourmet Traveller Jan 2008
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