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The Essence of McLaren Vale: Yangarra Estate Vineyard

The GOODS from Yangarra Estate

McLaren Vale, South Australia | Yangarra Estate Vineyard is located in the picturesque coastal wine-growing area of McLaren Vale. The region is defined by some of the oldest and most diverse soils on the planet, cooling breezes from the ocean and the nearby Mt Lofty ranges and a Mediterranean climate. These conditions combined provide the perfect location for the historic grape of Grenache to flourish.

One of Australia’s original grape plantings, Grenache was one of the main sources of fruit for making the fortified wines that fueled the early Australian wine industry. It’s now being recognized for its potential to produce world-class wine that can express elegance, brightness and charm. Yangarra is among a collection of top producers crafting Grenache punctuated by both ripeness and McLaren Vale’s characteristic vibrancy and finesse.

The Yangarra Estate is a thriving ecosystem complete with vineyards, creeks and natural corridors of native vegetation. The history of the vineyard dates back to 1946 when Grenache bush-vines were first planted. That original site is still producing fruit today and is the source of the estate’s most opulent Grenache. That wine, the High Sands Grenache, was recently awarded the 2020 Wine of the Year at the Halliday Wine Companion Awards and was coined “the king of Australian Grenache” by James Halliday himself.

At the helm of Yangarra is Peter Fraser, who has been the winemaker since 2000. Fraser is deeply passionate about Grenache. His approach to winemaking incorporates a minimalist philosophy with a meticulous attention to detail. “Sensitive winemaking is the key to restraint and finesse,” he says. The outcome is wines with a fresh vibrancy that reflects the soils and geology of the land.

To help produce these wines with purity, Peter experiments with various clay, ceramic, and stone vessels that allows the wine to breath while aging but won’t impart any oak flavors or tannins. He also utilizes biodynamic farming (no herbicides or pesticides are used) with the goal to improve soil health and in turn, preserve the essential taste of the vineyard.

Continuing the path forward, winemakers in the McLaren Vale strive to produce elegant, medium-bodied expressions of Grenache. McLaren Vale is thriving under the helm of “a new guard that’s showing more refinement,” says Fraser. The future is bright and “the greatest producers and wines of McLaren Vale can hold their heads high amongst the best regions in the world.”

About Yangarra Estate Vineyard | Yangarra Estate is a biodynamic wine farm located in the Blewitt Springs district of McLaren Vale, South Australia. Recognized for its higher elevation and moderate climate, the estate was first planted in 1946 and is home to 420 acres of land, with about 250 acres planted to vines, led by Grenache and Shiraz. The region is unique for its 54 million-year-old geology and wind-blown sands, from which we source only single estate fruit to make wines of provenance.


Yangarra Estate Vineyard
809 McLaren Flat Road Kangarilla, South Australia

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