Today we are thrilled to present one of the most anticipated red wine releases of the year. The magical wines of Marius are some of the most profound and unique reds in McLaren Vale.
Since the early 2000s, Roger Pike's wines have captured a rabid cult following that rivals those of producers like Wendouree, Rockford or Tyrrell's, where the mailing list waits with bated breath each year to snaffle their precious allocations.
It's a modest operation. A small vineyard on a unique geological site in the south-east of the Vale. Everything is done by hand, no machines, no pesticides, no herbicides. Healthy vines making great wines is what it's all about.
These are rare wines that cellar with incredible integrity. Last year, Roger announced he is winding up his time in the vineyard. The few precious vintages he has left are destined to be collectables for decades to come.
"The best South Australian Shiraz at present, well, at least for my questionable tastes, comes from Standish and Marius. You can keep your Grange, and most of the other higher priced wines. I’ll take this."
The 2017 Marius' are marvellous.
He has released four wines from the 2017 season - his two iconic Shiraz: Symphony & Simpatico; the Matarius Mataro and the cryptic End Play red.
The two Shiraz are throaty and resonate with superb depth and structure. While the fruit sits lively and accessible in the glass right now, the rocky, chiselled tannin that is unique to Shiraz from this site stands as a constant reminder that time will be very kind to these rare beauties.
The Mataro and the End Play are only released in certain years when Roger is happy with the fruit quality. Suffice to say, he likes what he sees in the 2017s - as did Mike Bennie and Gary Walsh at The Wine Front who have both given rave reviews for these wines on release.
As usual with Marius, stocks are painfully limited. And with Roger's impending retirement, it's more important than ever to snap these up, whether just for the chance to try them or to lay them down as part of your collection to enjoy for decades to come.