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Description
- 2023 Aphelion Brini Vineyard Grenache
- 2023 Aphelion The Confluence Grenache
- 2021 Aphelion The Affinity Grenache Mataro
- 2023 Aphelion Welkin Vineyard Grenache
- 2024 Aphelion Welkin Nero d'Avola
2023 Aphelion Brini Vineyard Grenache
Aphelion has made a name for itself as one of Australia's best producers of world-class Grenache, and this velvety, expressive single vineyard offering just goes to show why.
The fruit for this wine comes entirely from the Blewitt Springs sub-zone of McLaren Vale, grown by the Brini family with whom winemaker Rob Mack has cultivated a relationship ever since Aphelion's first vintage.
The site's sandy soils gives the wine a beautiful aromatic lift full of florals and spice, backed up with some good tannin structure.
Fermented with 100% whole bunches and briefly aged in neutral French oak.
95 points
"This might go head-to-head with the Wait Single Site Grenache for favorite wine of the lineup. For what it's worth, I believe the score would be higher with a bottle expressing its full potential."
- Erin Larkin (The Wine Advocate)95 points
"Very bright medium-deep red-purple colour. Pepper/spice bouquet with chocolate-oak/earth and tar aromas, the palate is full bodied and rich, with impressive tannins that firm and lengthen the palate, ending in an appetising, cleansing grip that lingers. A smashing young grenache."
- Huon Hooke (The Real Review)
2023 Aphelion The Confluence Grenache
The Aphelion The Confluence Grenache is a brilliant showcase of Rob Mack's mastery of McLaren Vale Grenache. Sourced predominantly from the prestigious Blewitt Springs subregion, this vibrant and expressive wine seamlessly blends whole berry and whole bunch ferments to create a Grenache that is complex yet fantastically drinkable.
In the glass, it’s a stunning, bright red with purple hues. Aromatics of raspberry, cinnamon spice, and red liquorice leap out, with a hint of herbal intrigue. On the palate, you’ll find wild strawberry, Satsuma plum, and fine sandalwood, balanced by soft, fine tannins that give the wine a beautiful length and poise. Despite its intensity, the Confluence remains light on its feet—packed with flavour but never heavy.
Perfect for drinking now but capable of evolving through to 2035, this is a wine that works equally well on its own or paired with food. Whether you’re enjoying a casual evening on the deck or indulging in a special meal, the 2023 Confluence Grenache is a versatile, crowd-pleasing bottle that reflects the best, brightest side of of McLaren Vale Grenache.
95 points
"This is all charm, but with a distinctly sophisticated elegance of delivery, with all the expected pops of red fruit – raspberry, red cherry, redcurrant, some pomegranate – conveyed with vibrancy but never confection, florals, white pepper, musk and a hint of orange peel accenting. The tannins are fine, naturally wrought, food friendly and perfectly synched with the medium fruit weight. Just lovely."
- Marcus Ellis (Halliday Wine Companion)
94 points
"Strawberry, raspberry, a fair amount of spice, a little twist of orange peel and amaro herbs too. It’s medium-bodied, offers bright cranberry crunch to acidity, and the quality of the tannin is something of a highlight – kind of like pumice stone – then it’s all juicy red fruit with a cinch of bitterness and a savoury flourish closing out a finish of fine length. It’s really good. It has energy, and it drinks very well too."
- Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)
2021 Aphelion The Affinity Grenache Mataro
Rob Mack is on a roll, and this Grenache Mataro blend is further proof. His delicate, finely tuned expressions of Rhône varieties from McLaren Vale are turning heads for all the right reasons.
Here, he nails the balance between fruit weight, freshness, and finesse, letting Grenache bring brightness and perfume while Mataro adds depth and savoury spice. The cool 2021 vintage only heightens the vibrancy, resulting in a beautifully poised, modern take on this classic blend - pure McLaren Vale through and through.
Every element is in perfect harmony, showcasing Rob’s skill both in the winery and at the blending bench. For those chasing sleek, contemporary reds from SA, this is an absolute steal.
95 points
"At last, the courage to do away with the ‘GSM’ moniker, particularly when vintage conditions and the pursuit of balance demand it. Mercifully bereft of excessive shiraz fruit, this is a delicious wine of considerable structure and serious depth, juxtaposed against an effortless drinkability promoted by a whole-berry, whole-bunchy friskiness. Best, the strata of tannins that underlie a stream of cranberry, rose hip, fecund strawberry and heather, with a saline spurt of acidity pulsing long."
- Ned Goodwin MW (Halliday Wine Companion)
2023 Aphelion Welkin Vineyard Grenache
The Welkin range by Aphelion is all about creating vibrant, great-value wines built for drinking right now. The Grenache is all about youthful vibrancy and pure enjoyment. Sourced from a 20-year-old vineyard in Blewitt Springs, McLaren Vale, this wine is crafted with a focus on freshness, drinkability, and great value—ideal for sharing with friends over a meal or at a casual gathering.
It's a bright, juicy red with a beautiful purple hue and aromas of redcurrant and cinnamon that leap from the glass. On the palate, it’s light-bodied yet bursting with energy, delivering fresh acidity and a hint of savoury, herbal complexity from a small amount of whole bunch fermentation. Aged in large foudre, this Grenache has a lively, jubey character that’s perfect for early drinking.
Whether you’re pairing it with light tapas, enjoying it alongside a fresh chevre, or simply sipping it as an aperitif, the 2023 Welkin Grenache is an easygoing, versatile wine that’s ready to enjoy right now. It’s a delightful expression of what McLaren Vale Grenache can offer.
92 points
"Juicy, strawberry, kind of sweet and succulent, but also has a little savoury stony stuff, nutty things and solid length too, and gee it’s a fun little wine. Nice. Kind of like a big rosato in a way."
- Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)
92 points
"A fine all-rounder at table that can take a gentle chill."
- Marcus Ellis (Halliday Wine Companion)
2024 Aphelion Welkin Nero d'Avola
Nero d'Avola, a red grape native to Sicily (though annoyingly not to the coastal town of Avola), has found a comfy home in McLaren Vale.
This latest release from Rob Mack at Aphelion, sourced from a vineyard in Willunga, is super bright in colour and aromatics, showing redcurrant, plum and heaps of lifted spice characters.
There is some fine tannin and some time in French oak but this is, above all, a jubey, juicy number with a good acid backbone.
Customer Reviews
| Country | Australia |
| Region | McLaren Vale |
| Size | 6 |
Aphelion
Winemaker Rob Mack Aphelion
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