As late summer fades and we prepare for
autumn, the vineyards are alive with activity. Vintage 2026 is underway,
bringing with it the hustle and bustle of harvest—the culmination of a year's
work, patience, and anticipation.
This February marks your first Cru Club
selection for 2026, a thoughtfully curated six-bottle case chosen personally by
Stephen.
Each bottle in this collection reflects what
we value most: place, time, and the craft of making wine that endures—from our
cellar to yours.
We are thrilled to share that Stephen's vision
has been vindicated in the most spectacular way. Robert Parker's The Wine
Advocate has awarded the 2022 S.C. Pannell Sunrise 99 Grenache a perfect score
of 100 points.
This is our first 100-point wine, and the wine
world is taking notice.
Additional accolades include Shiraz of the
Year at the 2026 Halliday Wine Companion Awards with our 2022 Koomilya JC Block
Shiraz—further recognition of Stephen's exceptional craft and unwavering
commitment to expressing place through wine.
With the highly anticipated new releases of
our celebrated Grenache range now available, you have front-row access to some
of the country's finest wines.
This hand selected Grand Cru Club Collection takes you from the
exquisite Koomilya through to some of our strongest representatives of
"Our Places," where each wine reveals its individual habitat and the
moment in time it came to life.
Our part in escorting these wines to bottle
starts with understanding the soil, aspect, and mood of each of 'Our Places,'
and deeply considering what has occurred and endured there before our arrival
and what will be in the future.
To those of you who took the invite to secure
a bottle of 2022 S.C. Pannell Sunrise 99 Grenache before the world knew what we
had achieved—thank you. You are the early believers, part of a very special
story. Your bottles represent not just exceptional wine, but a historic moment
for S.C. Pannell. You recognised greatness before the critics did, and we're
incredibly proud to share this achievement with you, our truest advocates.
Thank you for your trust in Stephen's vision
and for being part of the S.C. Pannell story.
Stephen, Fiona & the team at S.C. Pannell
Grand Cru Club
6 Bottle Case
Crafted for collectors, cellaring enthusiasts,
and those who simply love to drink well, this Grand Cru selection has been
personally chosen by Stephen, drawing from stellar vintages and rare releases.
For this collection, Stephen has reached into his personal cellar to include a
2016 S.C. Pannell Nebbiolo—a wine of remarkable maturity and provenance.
Expect structure, depth, and longevity,
alongside a few unforgettable drinking experiences.
2022 Koomilya DC Block Shiraz
A single block Shiraz from 50-year-old vines grown on ancient, dark grey slaty
siltstone soils flecked with ironstone, facing south-east at an altitude of
108m. The DC Block is named for Don Cant, the previous owner, and was the first
single block wine released from the vineyard. The flavours remind us of
chocolate crackles, Genepi, Amaro, and builder's tea left in the pot. A hint of
sage and wormwood brings a savoury note to the finish.
2022 Koomilya Estate Shiraz
A delightful return for an old favourite. The flavours are fresh and vibrant
and the aromas highly perfumed with quince poached in its own syrup, sea spray,
and cherry blossom. The second year of the current La Niña cycle saw a wet
winter and spring followed by a mild summer and a dry autumn. Poor flowering
due to wild spring weather including high winds, frost, and hail led to lower
than desired yields. Quality was good due to the long, slow ripening period. A
vintage to watch!
2021 S.C. Pannell Old McDonald Grenache
There are moments in winemaking when everything aligns—the season, the
vineyard, the vision. And then there are moments when it happens three years
running.
S.C. Pannell Old McDonald Grenache: 2021
Trophy Winner, 2022 Trophy Winner, 2023 Trophy Winner.
Three consecutive years. Three McLaren Vale
Wine Show trophies. One uncompromising belief in the power of place.
The classic version of McLaren Vale
Grenache—romantic, old-world charm with a core of sweet fruit. Roses, lovage,
woody herbs, leaf matter, cranberry, and raspberry preserve. The primary aromas
are red and loaded with tension: chorizo and sweet paprika followed by the
signature blood orange, pomegranate, and Turkish delight we've come to expect
from this vineyard.
2023 S.C. Pannell Old McDonald Grenache
The 2023 S.C. Pannell Old McDonald Grenache ($85 value) is a standout in this
collection.
2019 Protero Capo Nebbiolo
Voluminous | Classical | Mystical. Cherry, licorice, forest walks, black tea,
savoury spice, rosehips, and other classic Nebbiolo aromas that flit in and out
of frame before they can be processed and recorded. There's wizardry here.
Flavour: Continental | Wise | Composed.
Cranberry, fennel, porchetta, black tea, Australian sandalwood, blood orange
pith, red currant, vanilla spice, Cynar, Chinotto, strudel cherries, and
walnut. With a little air, fresh leather, praline, and rosehip jelly. Tastes
like the movement of time and place, a witness to history.
2016 S.C. Pannell Nebbiolo (from
Stephen's personal cellar)
Highly perfumed with notes of red cherry, rose water, fennel bulb, cassis,
chestnut purée, and marjoram along with terracotta tiles and cedar.
Vintage: The 2016 vintage was a vintage of two
distinct halves. Winter and spring were exceptionally dry and warm, with
irrigation beginning earlier than I can ever recall. A number of rainstorms
quickly changed everything, making 2016 one of the wettest and mildest ripening
periods. These cool, wet conditions saved our vines. All of the red wines from
2016 are tannic and not dissimilar to 1996 and 2006 and should make the wines
long-lived.