It has been several years since we last showcased these wines, but we are pleased to announce the return of the Spinifex wines to our shelves. For those of you unfamiliar with Spinifex, they are one of the finest boutique wineries in all of the Barossa Valey and we are very happy to have them back in stock.

James Halliday in his, Australian Wine Companion, says this about Spinifex. "Peter Schell and Magali Gely are a husband and wife team  from NZ who came to Australia in the early 1990s to study oenology and marketing, respectively, at Roseworthy College. Together they have spent four vintages making wine in France, mainly in the south, where Magali's family were vignerons for generations near Montpellier. The focus at Spinifex is the red varieties that dominate in the south of France: Mataro (more correctly Mourvedre), Grenache, Shiraz and Cinsaut. The wine is made in open fermenters, basket-pressed, partial wild (indigenous) fermentations, and relatively long post-ferment maceration. This is at once a very old approach, but nowadays à la mode. The wines are made at Spinifex's winery in Vine Vale, where Peter also makes wines for a number of clients to whom he consults. So far as I am concerned Spinifex  out-Torbrecks Torbreck."

Last year I was in the Barossa Valley and visited Spinifex, where I tasted the wines with Peter. The thing that struck me the most about each wine was their purity and expression of fruit. These wines are un-mistakably Australian, but they are not the monolithic, high alcohol, fruit bombs that countless Barossa wineries have been churning out for the past ten years. You can see the French influence in the philosophy and style of wines made at this estate. In case you were wondering the kind of wines that Peter likes to drink and buys for his cellar, I can tell you. I met Peter for a drink in Nurioopta at the Vintners Bar and Grill the day after my visit to the winery and the bottle he selected to share was a Dominique Lafon 2004 Meursault. He had also brought along the catalogue for the importer from whom he orders most of his wine. The importer specializes in French selections and the catalogue was filled with page after page of small French producers from the Languedoc and Rhône Valley. I recognized many of the names as we import many of them ourselves.
- Jon Ellison, Marquis Wine Cellars

2009 Lola - $28.90
"Bright, lively green-straw; this is not a wine about fruit aromatics, rather an exploration of texture, structure and length. There is enough positive flavour to suit any need, but the wine is content to back off on the fresh, dry and lively finish. Semillon/Viognier/Ugni Blanc/Vermentino. Screwcap."
- James Halliday, Date Tasted Feb 10 - 93 points
Buy
2008 Esprit - $35.90
'Typical relatively light colour; a lifted, spicy aromatic bouquet of predominantly red fruits, the savoury, textured medium-bodied palate a logical follow-on with spicy fruitcake flavours backed by fine tannins. Shiraz/Grenache/Mataro. Screwcap."
- James Halliday, Date Tasted Mar 10 - 93 points
Buy
2008 La Bête Noir - $44.90
"Bright purple-crimson; a particularly expressive and fragrant bouquet with spicy black fruits, the medium- to full-bodied palate with licorice and more warm spice notes; we are not told why shiraz should be Pete Schell's enemy. Screwcap."
- James Halliday, Date Tasted Mar 10 - 94 points
Buy
2008 Indigene - $54.90
"Much deeper colour than Esprit; a profound wine in every way, obviously made from older, lower-yielding vines; here black fruits and licorice take centre state, with a velvety texture and very long finish. Shiraz/Mataro/Grenache. Screwcap.
- James Halliday, Date Tasted Mar 10 - 96 points
Buy

2008 La Maline - $54.90
"Good purple-red, although not particularly vibrant; a very rich and complex wine, texture and structure excellent; the bouquet is aromatic and the full-bodied palate has abundant fruit, but this blend (Shiraz/Viognier) best delivers vibrancy in cool climates. Screwcap."
- James Halliday, Date Tasted Mar 10 - 94 points
Buy

All orders of 6 or more bottles (mixed cases accepted)
will receive a 5% discount. Please enter coupon code 'newarrival' when checking out

*Prices and availability subject to change without notice.