Stuck between mountains and South Australia's finest beaches, McLaren Vale is one of the most famous and beautiful wine districts of Australia with practically a winery on its every corner.McLaren is a small grape paradise just 25 miles south of Adelaide where they produce world-renowned, top quality Shiraz, Cabernet, and Grenache. What is great about McLaren Vale is that you have to make very little effort to come across a winery as pretty much all the beautiful wineries in the area are about a couple of minutes apart from each other. Shiraz is unquestionably the superstar of McLaren, though, Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon are just as valuable and acclaimed as Shiraz. McLaren Vale Shiraz and Cabernet have aromas of black fruits, black pepper, and a solid amount of tannins. Though, their fruit-forward characteristics subdue the intensity of the tannins. The Mediterranean climate is the most integral factor in the production of high-quality reds in the district. The cool, breezy winters and hot summers with cool ocean breezes are perfect for the ripening of grapes, but also avocados, stone fruits, and almonds; all of which are plentiful in McLaren Vale. Thomas Hardy is a significant figure in the history of winemaking in McLaren Vale. After establishing his winery in Adelaide in 1853, he purchased the Tintara vineyard. Their success started with the release of their critically-acclaimed Nottage Hill Claret, which was from the vineyard that was named after Hardy's nephew who had worked for Hardy for over 60 years. Today, Hardy's is one of the most highly-esteemed wineries of Australia, and still produces great tasting, reasonably priced wines. Tatachilla is also one of the oldest and successful wineries of McLaren Vale. Their full-bodied Shiraz and floral Cabernet Sauvignon are highly recommended. Wirra Wirra is another prominent winery in the region, which is often praised for its Church Block red blend. Coriole Wines is also an important name in the area as it has been producing top-quality Chenin Blanc since the '70s. Coriole was also the first winery ever to produce wines with the Italian grape variety, Sangiovese.
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