The S.C. Pannell Little Branch Grenache is a medium-bodied, highly structured, and exceptional estate red wine from the Blewitt Springs sub-region of McLaren Vale, South Australia. Sourced from a prized vineyard purchased by Stephen and Fiona Pannell, this modern masterpiece is grown on high-altitude Maslin sands peppered with ironstone, delivering incredible structural precision, poise, and natural acidity.
- Aromas: Fragrant and precise, bursting with wild raspberry, strawberries, kirsch, and fresh rose petals, intricately woven with cinnamon, clove, and dried Mediterranean herbs.
- Palate: Bright and succulent, offering a pure wave of red currant, bitter red aperitivo, and sour cherry, driving onto a persistent line of sandy, mineral tannins.
- Style: An impactful, terroir-driven Grenache shaped by Steve Pannell’s love for fine Italian structures, beautifully balancing high aromatic energy with an immense, protective force field of noble tannin.
- Winemaking: Hand-picked estate fruit is wild-fermented in steel with a small portion of whole clusters, then raised gently in a large, old French oak vat with no shortcuts or fining.
- Cellaring: Deceptively approachable for its explosive primary energy, but its structural density and low pH spine ensure it will cellar spectacularly for 10-plus years.
- Food Pairing: Phenomenal with upscale Asian dishes like Cantonese roast goose, char siu pork belly, five-spice slow-braised beef cheeks, or a rich wild mushroom stir-fry with XO sauce.
This wine is a total secret agent that takes Blewitt Springs' pretty, high-altitude rose perfume and hides a massive structure right up its sleeve. It tricks you into expecting a soft, elegant little red, but then it hits you with an incredible force field of sandy tannins and bitter-almond Italian swagger that leaves the finish completely relentless.
SC Pannell
Born in 1969 and raised at the legendary Moss Wood in Margaret River, Stephen Pannell was destined for a life in wine. In 2004, he and his wife Fiona founded S.C. Pannell, driven by a passion for McLaren Vale and its ability to produce expressive, dry-grown Shiraz and Grenache with a strong sense of place. Widely regarded as one of Australia's most innovative winemakers, Steve's accolades include the Jimmy Watson Trophy, International Red Winemaker of the Year, and recognition by Decanter Magazine as one of the 50 Most Influential Contributors to the World of Wine.
At the heart of Steve's story is Koomilya Vineyard — an extraordinary vineyard in the centre of McLaren Vale that he pursued for more than 20 years before finally acquiring. Established in the early 1800s, this historic site now forms the foundation of his deeply personal Koomilya wines, capturing the character and heritage of one of Australia's great vineyard sites.
