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Malbec 2021

Producer: Hither & Yon
Region: South Australia
Appellation: McLaren Vale
Country: Australia
Wine Type: Red
Variety: Malbec
Bottle Size: 750 ml
Alcohol: 13%
Soil: Red-brown loam, silt, gravel and clay
Farming Practices: Sustainable, focus on biodiversity in the vineyard
Awards: 91-John Szabo
info@buyersandcellars.ca www.buyersandcellars.ca

Cellar Profile


In 1980, the Leask family moved from the Hunter Valley to McLaren Vale, in Southeast Australia. They have since purchased several vineyards through the hilly, iconic region, allowing brothers Malcolm and Richard to finally open their own winery. The vineyards sit upon mineral-rich reddish-brown loam and clay soils, with quartzite and sand. These iconic reddish soils are high in iron content, imparting a savoury, umami note to a lot of the wines. While the days get quite warm during the growing season, there is a strong ocean breeze from the nearby Gulf of Saint Vincent, which also drops the temperature markedly during the evening, allowing the grapes to cool and maintaining freshness in the wines. In the vineyard, H&Y practices Regenerative Agriculture, working the vineyards in such a way as to help reverse climate change by rebuilding soil organic matter and restoring degraded soil biodiversity. With a preference for Mediterranean and Iberian Peninsula varieties, they offer an eclectic collection of wines including Tempranillo, Nero d’Avola, Touriga Nacional, Aglianico, Malbec and Carignan. Buyers+Cellars is pleased to offer the acclaimed, limited quantity Tempranillo and Malbec for the first time in Ontario.

Region


McLaren Vale is a sub-region of South-Eastern Australia, near the town of Adelaide. It has a Mediterranean climate, with long warm days and short cool evenings during the growing season. The soils are mixed, with pockets of iron-rich, terra rosa soils and dry clay. The soils are free draining, meaning winemakers can strictly control the water levels in the vines, but the proximity to the ocean ensures there is enough rainfall to need little irrigation; indeed, there are more than a few wineries that are able to dry farm even in the warmest years. The region is prized for creating intense, aromatic reds of power and elegance and has been planted since the early 1800s to vitis vinifera.

Vineyard


The Home Vineyard sits on a base of reddish-brown loam, rich in iron and overlain with silt, sand and patches of clay. Hither & Yon believes in working the vineyards ecologically, with a strong focus on biodiversity, natural habitat restoration and native species planting.

Varieties


This thick-skinned, full-bodied grape has made its home in the foothills of the Andes. Owning more than 75% of the world’s planted Malbec, Argentina is known for having reinvigorated the variety, which has been returned to the list of the top 18 noble grapes. Originally from the South-West of France, Malbec was primarily used as a blending grape in Bordeaux, with most of its vines planted in the region of Cahors. Recent plantings in Australia have shown great promise, particularly in the regions of Clare Valley and McLaren Vale.

Winemaking


Hand-harvested fruit was whole-bunch sorted before de-stemming. The grapes were pressed into a concrete vat for fermentation, with twice daily plungings of the cap for more extraction. After fermentation was complete, the wine was pressed into seasoned French Hogsheads, using only free run juice, for 7 months of aging.

Tasting Notes 


Deep purple with violet hues and an intriguing nose of dark berry, licorice, eucalyptus and kirsch. Medium-bodied and lithe, flavours of prune, red plum, black cherry, earth and a savoury, umami element. The tannins are evolved, but the wine is fairly structured, with a long, fruit-driven finish. Pair with grilled kebabs or lamb sausage.