Aphelion Rapture Grenache 2021

Why is this Wine so Yummy?

Sourced from two vineyards in the Blewitt Springs sub-region of McLaren Vale. One is owned by the Brini family, the other by the Wait family. Both are old vine vineyards, with the Wait vineyard being dry grown with small berries and intensity and the Brini vineyard showing bright fruit and floral aromatics.

The fruit was hand-picked on the 15th and 23rd March. The Wait vineyard fruit was split in to two ferments – one being 100% whole bunch, the other being destemmed whole berries that was locked down on skins for four months. The Brini fruit was fermented with 50% whole bunches. The final 2021 Rapture blend consists of 57% Wait top bush block whole bunch, 18% Wait top bush block extended ferment, and 25% Brini vineyard fruit. All three batches were pressed to large format neutral French oak where they remained on full lees until racking for blending and bottling in January 2022. Only a single demi-muid barrel (700L) of this wine was produced.

About Aphelion

Grenache is, and always has been, the varietal focus of Aphelion from McLaren Vale. Aphelion was founded in 2014 by Rob and Lou Mack with a dream to specialise in making aromatic, elegant Grenache. Now, Rob has fast gained a reputation as ‘Mr Grenache’ and is a highly respected member of the wine community and an esteemed wine judge.

In the Vineyard

We foster positive and energetic relationships with our growers, a handful in particular have been with us from the very beginning. This continuity is a thread that takes the radiance through every wine we make.

Farmers in McLaren Vale till our rich, ancient soils in environmentally sustainable ways to harvest world class produce.

McLaren Vale itself is incredibly diverse, boasting 19 different soil types and over 60% of its’ land being managed under our world leading Sustainable Winegrowing Australia program.

The varieties we’ve chosen thrive in our warm Mediterranean climate. They are what McLaren Vale is best-suited to: Grenache, Mataro, Nero d’Avola, Sagrantino.

Also Chenin Blanc; a white with a tendency to bring people together – gathering in polar palates from Sauvignon to Chardonnay.

Our growers are passionate about producing premium, hand tended grapes. We partner with only the most select, unique parcels of land and highly skilled growers who harness the sun and sky into pristine grapes.

Essential to create the premium quality of Aphelion Wine.

Marsh Brini

Joe Lopresti

Robyn & Gary Waite

Ben Lacey

Cathy Charnock & Peter Lockett

Thank you. Without you, we are cloudy skies.

In the Winery

Greek speakers will know that Aphelion means from the sun and this concept is central to our winemaking philosophy.

Our intentions are clear – to bottle sunshine.

And we mean it. Rob uses minimal intervention winemaking techniques, allowing the sun’s life sustaining force to shine out of the wines. Wines that are bright and fresh.

From our perspective, the ascendancy of our McLaren Vale wine brand Aphelion has been relatively meteoric. In the space of six short spins around the sun, we have turned our tiny, one-tonne project into our full time pursuit and one of the hottest brands on the market.

Where in the World is Aphelion?

Aphelion is based in McLaren Vale.