Humble beginnings birth beautiful things. Obama. The Simpsons. Angelina Jolie. And McLaren Vale, a tiny town in South Australia with soft yet powerful wines.
Tireless pioneer Thomas Hardy planted grapes in McLaren Vale around 1840 and winemaking in the region thrived, until the turn of the century when exports dried up and the demand for bulk port swelled. Around the 1960's, wine tourism revived the area, stimulating renewed interest in table wines, especially the full-bodied, rich reds made from the Vale's 100-year-old shiraz, grenache and cabernet sauvignon vines. Now, its comeback complete, McClaren's wines have burrowed into my spirit.
This article appears in Jun 3-9, 2009.