Kangarilla Road / Helen u. Kevin O'Brien
White wines from Kangarilla Road / Helen u. Kevin O'Brien
Red wines from Kangarilla Road / Helen u. Kevin O'Brien
from Kangarilla Road / Helen u. Kevin O'Brien
The Kangarilla Road estate is in South Australia, in the McLaren Vale an hour by car from Adelaide to be more precise. The region is bounded by the Gulf of St Vincent to the west and rolling countryside to the east. Vines have thrived here since 1850 and the McLaren Vale is considered one of the highest quality wine regions in Australia. The climate is marked by hot summers and mild winters under the influence of the nearby ocean. Helen and Kevin O'Brien started their business in 1997. Kevin, a winemaker with a wealth of experience earned over 20 years, is responsible for the vineyard and cellar work. Helen looks after promoting the estate and selling the wine. Kangarilla Road has 12 hectares of vines, which is very little by Australian standards. Planted in 1975 the vines have now reached a good adult age. They are grown organically and biodynamically and produce high quality grapes. The harvest is complemented by grapes bought in from other producers who meet the same production criteria. Helen and Kevin's philosophy is simple and persuasive: make wines that can stand by themselves or with food. Their work regularly wins accolades from wine critics and the press. In the 2010 edition of the James Halliday Companion the estate got 5 stars!
Producer
Quinta de la Rosa
Portugal and England have engaged in wine trading since the 14th century. Over the course of time, the British also settled in Portugal, establishing agricultural estates (quintas) to grow wine, and founding large trading companies in Porto. The Bergqvist family are descendants of these settlers, still involved in production and trade on the strength of innovative ideas and great commitment.
Sette Cieli
It isn’t easy to ascend to seventh heaven. And indeed, the road to the wine estate Sette Cieli is fraught with some difficulties. You might need to take a few detours (seventh heaven isn’t on Google Maps’ radar), but the Ratti family’s wine paradise is more than worth the effort.
Luddite Wines / Fam. Verburg & Meyer
Niels Verburg is one of those people who you immediately want to befriend. With his imposing stature and beaming smile, he stands out and magically draws people in.