Our Single Vineyard Range is sourced from each of our three vineyard sites from the McLaren Vale subregions of Blewitt Springs and Clarendon, using the most site-expressive fruit from that years vintage.
Our Estate Range showcases the best of the McLaren Vale region and our own Blind Spot Vineyard in Blewitt Springs.
Nestled between the Mount Lofty Ranges and the white, sandy beaches of the Gulf of St Vincent, McLaren Vale is just 45 minutes south of Adelaide and known as the birthplace of South Australian wine. Today it has over 7,500 hectares under vine, 90% of which are red varieties. The Mediterranean climate in McLaren Vale is a big draw card, and the soils are among the oldest in the world estimated at over 500 million years. The resulting low vigour and old vines combine to produce low yields and stunning, concentrated fruit. Each sub-zone, Blewitt Springs and Clarendon, provides a unique diversity in flavour, which we aim to express in our range of McLaren Vale wines.
Willunga 100 has been a pioneer in unoaked, single vineyard Grenache in Blewitt Springs McLaren Vale for the last 18 years. With cooler temperatures and moderating afternoon sea breezes, the grapes grown here enjoy a long and even ripening season. Vintage in Blewitt Springs is often two to three weeks later than the rest of the district, giving the fruit a few extra weeks to ripen with a greater depth of flavour.
The Blind Spot Vineyard was acquired in March of 2019 and is the source of Willunga 100’s Grenache, Grenache Rosé, and an upcoming Single Vineyard Grenache. The vineyard also has a plot of 80-year-old Shiraz vines which will go toward a limited release Single Vineyard Shiraz.
The 19-hectare site, situated on Moritz Road in the heart of Blewitt Springs, has close to eight hectares of old, bush trained Grenache. The vineyard is situated within the ‘Hundred of Willunga’, the area which was the inspiration for the company name.
Willunga 100 had a long-standing relationship with the previous owners, having sourced fruit from the vineyard for some years, so were already familiar with the sites personality and quality of the fruit it produces.
The dry grown Grenache bush vines for this site were planted in 1952 on ancient sandy soil over a clay and ironstone base. Owned by local viticulturist Sue Trott, the Trott Vineyard is situated 210m above sea level on the moderate to steep hills of Blewitt Springs next to the Onkaparinga Gorge.
The fruit from Willunga 100’s single vineyard wine Trott Vineyard Blewitt Springs Grenache (previously named The Hundred Grenache, Blewitt Springs) is sourced from this vineyard.
Tucked in the gullies on the Onkaparinga River, Clarendon is a beautiful village rich in heritage. Willunga 100 produces our Smart Vineyard Clarendon Grenache (previously known as The Hundred Grenache, Clarendon) from this area, which comes off the Smart Vineyard.
A special site with 100 year old vines this vineyard has dry grown Grenache bush vines which were planted in 1923 on ancient loam soil over red-brown clay and bedrock. It’s situated 220m above sea level on the moderate to steep hills of the Clarendon Onkaparinga Gorge. Planted by his father and tended now by 90 year old vigneron Bernard Smart and his son Wayne Smart this small patch of vines holds strong significance in the McLaren Vale region. Many of the Grenache vines planted since 1923 have been from cuttings taken from the Smart Vineyard, including some our own newly grafted vines at Blind Spot Vineyard. We are honoured to continue the heritage of these highly respected vines.
