A word from A Respected Voice
Best Selling Bottled Sunshine
" Delicious, acclaimed, low intervention wines. Hand crafted by our family to
exacting standards to capture the McLaren Vale sunshine. "
Affinity 2024 Grenache Mourvèdre is a key flagstone wine for us. We are known for our Grenache and Mourvèdre, and our Affinity is a perfect example of complex, delicious wine that is much greater than the sum of it's premium parts.
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"This blend keeps improving through successive vintages, with less width and more sustained tension in the flavour profile due to Mack’s keen attention to detail." - David Sly for Decanter
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Meet the Affinity
Variety: An 85/15 blend of McLaren Vale Grenache and Mourvèdre.
Summary: A blend of single vineyard McLaren Vale Grenache and single vineyard Willunga South Mourvèdre results in a wine with oodles of complexity. Good roundness of fruit flavour on the mid palate leads to a savoury finish with powdery tannin.
Tasting Note: A beautiful and crisp savoury edge runs through this wine from aroma to palate. The whole bunch ferment characters appear in the form of spicy herbal complexity whilst the youthful Grenache component keeps the feel fresh and vibrant. Savoury, spicy, complex.
Goes With Food: Matches well to lighter red meat dishes such as venison or rare lamb, but is equally well suited to a vegetarian lasagne. Versatility is a key component of this wine.
Goes With Cheese: An aged cloth bound cheddar or mid strength parmesan matches the subtle tannin profile of The Affinity.
Goes With Music: PJ Harvey – Down By The Water.
Goes With Life: Laughter and languid lounging with loved ones.
Serve At: 18 degrees Celsius.
When to Drink: Ready to drink now, but will continue evolving through to 2031.
Vineyard: The Grenache fruit comes from the Romano family’s single vineyard in the Seaview sub-district of McLaren Vale. The Mourvèdre is from the Lacey family’s single vineyard in Willunga South..
Winemaking: Both parcels of wine that make up this blend were fermented and aged separately before blending. A portion of stems was used in the Grenache ferment. Some pre-ferment cold soak was used with the Mourvèdre portion. The wine was then matured for ten months in neutral French puncheons and hogsheads prior to bottling in February 2025.
Unfiltered | Unfined | Vegan
ABV%: 14.2%
Production: 220 half-dozen produced under screwcap.
Accolades:
94 points David Sly for Decanter
93 point Marcus Ellis for Halliday Wine Companion
"A silky blend of Grenache with Mourvèdre provides an intriguing embrace of alluring elegance with backbone and drive...Instead, the pretty wild raspberry perfume of Grenache rises high from the glass and provides a sweet opening kiss, before the palate opens to show deep red fruits and a hint of smooth blackberry, embraced by the mild spice and firm structure of supple Mourvèdre. This blend keeps improving through successive vintages, with less width and more sustained tension in the flavour profile due to Mack’s keen attention to detail." - David Sly for Decanter
"85/15% grenache from Seaview/mourvèdre from Whites Valley; 15% whole bunch. Strawberry, raspberry and morello cherry, intensely rendered – though with plenty of airspace, transparency and flow – along with scrubby herbs, dried bay, turned earth, blood orange, cracked pepper and some darker spices. It has volume but not weight on the palate, the tannins finely wrought yet chewy, a burst of freshness to close." - Marcus Ellis for Halliday Wine Companion
Select between a 6 bottle pack or 12 bottle case to Buy the Aphelion Affinity 2024 Grenache Mourvèdre.
Aphelion Christmas Wine Advent Calendar 2026 | 12 Full-Size Australian Wines, Individually Wrapped
12 DAYS. 12 SURPRISES. ONE VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS.
Some Christmas gifts are opened once. This one keeps the magic going.
Say cheers to someone who deserves something rather wonderful this Christmas.
Forget the waxy supermarket chocolates and tiny bottles of mystery wine. This is Advent for grown-ups who appreciate the good stuff.
Twelve full-sized bottles of Aphelion wine. Twelve beautifully wrapped surprises. Twelve reasons to make moments count.
Each wine has been handpicked by our winemaker Rob Mack, individually wrapped in our signature blue and white tissue paper, and numbered from 1 to 12.
No peeking at the labels. No knowing what's coming next. Just the delicious anticipation of unwrapping something wonderful.
Inside, there's a journey through the wines of our little McLaren Vale family winery, including customer favourites and some special surprises.
One day might call for a long lunch. Another for a quiet glass at the end of a busy afternoon. Another for gathering your favourite people around the table.
And that's the beauty of it. You're not just giving twelve bottles of wine.
You're giving twelve moments to look forward to.
Christmas Special: $399 AUD
Wine value: $428
Plus:
- Complimentary Australia-wide shipping,
- Complimentary festive wrapping; and;
- A Complimentary handwritten gift card.
From Australia's #34 winery - Halliday Wine Companion Top 100 Wineries 2026.
Why You'll Love the Aphelion Wine Advent Calendar
- 12 full-sized 750 mL bottles - proper bottles to open, savour and share. No miniature samples here.
- 12 individually wrapped surprises - each bottle lovingly wrapped and numbered, ready for its own moment of discovery.
- Handpicked by Rob Mack - a curated journey through Aphelion wines, from our home in McLaren Vale.
- Premium Aphelion Reds and whites to discover - an exciting mix of different styles, varieties and personalities.
- A few special surprises - a chance to discover wines beyond the everyday favourites.
- Beautifully presented for gifting - with festive wrapping and a handwritten card carrying your personal message.
- Free Australia-wide shipping - or collect your gift from our McLaren Vale cellar door.
And the best part? Every bottle is a surprise.
And there's another reason to celebrate this Christmas.
Aphelion has just been ranked #34 in the Halliday Wine Companion Top 100 Wineries of Australia 2026!
Up from #35 in 2025, it's wonderful recognition for our little family winery and the wines Rob makes with such care.
So when you unwrap your twelve Advent surprises, you're discovering wines from one of Australia's most highly regarded wineries, handpicked by the winemaker himself.
Twelve surprises. One award-winning little winery. A whole lot of Bottled Sunshine.
The Joy Is in the Unwrapping
Picture this.
It's the first afternoon of your Christmas holidays. The shopping is finished, the work emails are off, and there's finally time to enjoy yourself.
You reach for bottle number one.
It's wrapped in beautiful blue and white tissue paper, with its own numbered Christmas tag.
What will it be?
You peel back the paper, discover your first Aphelion wine and decide what delicious thing you'll cook to go with it.
Tomorrow, there's another bottle waiting.
And another after that.
Perhaps you'll discover a new favourite. Perhaps you'll unwrap a wine you've been wanting to try. Perhaps you'll find exactly the right bottle for the friends who've just dropped by.
Every day brings a little anticipation, a little discovery and another reason to celebrate.
Because Christmas magic shouldn't be reserved for children.
When Do Your Twelve Days of Christmas Begin?
Here's the lovely thing about our Wine Advent Calendar.
There are no rules. You do Advent your way.
The Traditionalist
1 - 12 December
Start the festive season early with twelve days of delicious anticipation.
The Christmas Countdown
14 - 25 December
Build the excitement right up to Christmas Day, with one final bottle to unwrap for the big celebration.
The Holiday Indulger
25 December - 5 January
The rush is over. The holidays have begun. Twelve days of sunshine, leftovers, friends and wonderful wine.
The Slow and Steady Celebrator
Every second day, 1 - 23 December
Twelve discoveries spread across the lead-up to Christmas, with plenty of time to enjoy each one.
Or forget the schedule entirely.
Open a bottle whenever you have something to celebrate, someone to share it with, or simply a quiet moment worth enjoying.
Your calendar. Your Christmas. Your moments.
What's Inside? That's Part of the Magic.
We're keeping the exact line-up under wraps.
After all, what fun would twelve beautifully wrapped bottles be if we told you what was inside?
What we can tell you is that Rob has selected twelve different Aphelion wines to take you on a delicious journey through our range.
Expect a wonderful mix of red and white wines, familiar favourites, intriguing varieties and a few special discoveries along the way.
From bright and refreshing to fragrant, savoury and wonderfully complex, each bottle brings something different to your festive table.
All twelve are full-sized bottles, made with the care and attention you'd expect from our family winery.
And not one of them will reveal its identity until you're ready to unwrap it.
Pssst! Absolutely desperate to know what's inside before you buy? Email our winery and we'll quietly share the list. We promise not to spoil the surprise for everyone else.
A Gift They'll Remember Long After Christmas
We all have someone who's rather difficult to buy for.
The wine lover who already has a well-stocked cellar. The friend who insists they don't need anything. The parents who have everything. The partner who deserves something more thoughtful than another last-minute present.
Here's your answer.
Not one gift. Twelve.
Twelve beautifully wrapped bottles, each waiting for its moment.
A surprise to open after work. A new wine to share over dinner. A bottle to take to the beach house. Something special for Christmas lunch. Something delicious for a quiet evening together.
And every time they unwrap another bottle, they'll remember the person who gave it to them.
That's a rather lovely way to say thank you, I love you, or simply, you deserve this.
Beautifully Wrapped. Personally Given.
We believe the experience of receiving a gift should be every bit as special as what's inside.
That's why we don't simply put twelve bottles into a box and call it an Advent Calendar.
Every bottle is individually hand-wrapped in our signature blue and white tissue paper, then finished with its own numbered Advent tag.
Each bottle becomes a little present in its own right.
And because the most meaningful gifts are personal, we'll include a handwritten card with your own message to the recipient.
From our family winery to someone special in your life, with a little extra care along the way.
All the festive magic. None of the wrapping-paper chaos at your kitchen table.
Twelve Bottles of Bottled Sunshine for $399
Good Christmas gifts should feel generous. This one really is.
The twelve wines in your Advent Calendar have a combined individual retail value of $428.
Our special Christmas collection price is:
$399 AUD
That's a $29 saving on the wines themselves.
And we're including the finishing touches:
- FREE Australia-wide shipping
- FREE individual festive wrapping and numbering of all twelve bottles
- FREE handwritten card with your personal message
- FREE cellar door collection if you'd prefer to pick it up in person
Twelve full-sized wines. Twelve individually wrapped surprises. One rather extraordinary Christmas present.
All for $399.
Made for the Table. And the Moments Around It.
Goes With Food
Christmas leftovers that turn into the best lunch of the year.
Someone brings out the ham. Someone else finds a beautiful cheese in the fridge. There's a bowl of cherries, a loaf of good bread and absolutely no intention of cooking anything complicated.
Then someone suggests opening today's Advent wine.
Suddenly the leftovers become an occasion, and nobody's looking at the clock.
Goes With Music
Wham! - Last Christmas.
Go on. You know every word.
There's a time for serious wine appreciation, and there's a time for singing along to Christmas music while unwrapping a bottle in the kitchen.
This is very much the latter.
Turn it up. Pour generously. Let the festive spirit take over.
Goes With Life
The wonderfully ordinary moments that become Christmas memories.
A long-awaited catch-up with an old friend. The first afternoon when everyone is finally home. A spontaneous invitation to stay for dinner. A quiet evening on the verandah as the sun goes down.
There are twelve opportunities waiting inside this box to turn those little moments into something memorable.
Make Moments Count.
Buy Direct from the Aphelion Family Winery
Aphelion is the little family winery created by winemaker Rob Mack and Louise Mack in McLaren Vale, South Australia.
Since our first vintage in 2014, we've been making small-batch wines with a particular love for Grenache, remarkable vineyards and the joy of sharing good wine with good people.
In 2026, Aphelion was named number 34 in the Halliday Top 100 Wineries of Australia.
When you buy direct from our family winery, you're supporting the people who grow, make, wrap and send your wines with care.
And when you give an Aphelion Advent Calendar, you're sharing a little piece of our world with someone special.
From our family to yours, have a wonderful Christmas.
Christmas Gift Details
What's Included in the Advent Calendar? +
Your Aphelion Christmas Wine Advent Calendar includes:
- 12 different full-size 750 mL bottles of Aphelion wine
- A handpicked selection of red and white wines
- Individual blue and white festive wrapping for every bottle
- Numbered Advent tags from 1 to 12
- A handwritten card with your personal message
- Complimentary Australia-wide shipping or cellar door collection
The exact wine selection is intentionally kept secret so that every bottle is a surprise.
Total wine volume: 9 litres.
How Do I Include a Personal Gift Message? +
Include your personal Christmas message in the gift message field or order notes at checkout.
We'll handwrite your message on a card to accompany the Advent Calendar.
If you're sending it directly to someone special, enter their delivery address at checkout.
Shipping, Collection and Christmas Delivery +
Complimentary Australia-wide shipping is included with your Advent Calendar, subject to applicable wine delivery restrictions.
You can also choose to collect your gift from the Aphelion cellar door at 67 Kays Road, McLaren Vale, South Australia.
Christmas delivery cut-off dates will be confirmed closer to December. We recommend ordering early to allow sufficient time for hand-wrapping and delivery.
Delivery before Christmas is subject to dispatch dates, destination and carrier schedules.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the Advent Calendar wines full-sized bottles?
Yes. Every bottle is a full-size 750 mL bottle of Aphelion wine. There are twelve bottles in total, not miniature samples.
Will I know which wines are included before opening them?
No. The exact selection is kept secret to preserve the surprise. Every bottle is individually wrapped and numbered from 1 to 12. If you'd prefer to know the contents before buying, contact our winery privately.
Can I send the Advent Calendar as a Christmas gift?
Absolutely. Enter your recipient's delivery address and include your personal message at checkout. We'll prepare the individually wrapped wines and include a handwritten card.
Do I have to open the wines on 1 to 12 December?
Not at all. Enjoy them on any twelve days you choose. Popular options include 1 to 12 December, 14 to 25 December, or 25 December to 5 January.
Grenache is our specialty. This pack curated by Rob "Mr Grenache" Mack is the best way for you to discover the breadth of flavour possible from Grenache grown in McLaren Vale.
Each six pack includes:
1 x bottle Welkin Grenache 2025 RRP $28
1 x bottle Callow Grenache Blanc 2025 RRP $42
1 x bottle Confluence Grenache 2025 RRP $42 each
2 x bottle Affinity Grenache Mourvedre 2024 RRP $42
1 x bottle Rapture 2022 RRP $150
RRP $346. Special pack price: $310. Save $36 and 10%!
(N.B: 12 bottle cases contain double these amounts).
Each of our Grenache wines has its’ own distinct personality.
Why not gather some friends and open all five different bottles at once?
About The Wines
Welkin Grenache 2024 is a juicy and vibrant wine with outrageous aromatics. Designed to be enjoyed immediately, with goat chevre, tapas or as an aperitif on its' own.
Callow Grenache Blanc 2024 Our love affair with Grenache now extends to it's white wine form. Intense citrus and spice aromatics. A textural edge provides a food friendly aspect. Cinnamon and nutmeg spice complement the nashi pear and stone fruit flavours.
Confluence 2024 Grenache is the coming together of premium Grenache from a number of vineyards in the sandy soil dress-circle of Blewitt Springs. It showcases the best of McLaren Vale's elegant, savoury Grenache style.
Affinity 2024 Grenache Mourvèdre Here premium barrels of Brini Grenache and Lacey Mourvèdre are brought together to make a truly rounded and balanced wine with juicy acid, powdery tannin and the best of juicy red berries from Grenache and earthy mid and back palate from Mourvedre.
Rapture 2022 Grenache is our pinnacle of Grenache. The finest barrels from our portfolio of Grenache parcels. Elegant. Poised. Balanced. Built to age or to savour now.
Select between a 6 bottle pack or 12 bottle case to Buy the Aphelion Grenache Pack.
2025 McLaren Vale Single Site Grenache Collection | Four Vineyards | Four Award-Winning Wines
BLEWITT SPRINGS · CLARENDON · McLAREN VALE · SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Four remarkable vineyards. One extraordinary vintage. One very special collection.
What if you could taste the difference between four remarkable Grenache vineyards, all from the same vintage, made the same way by the same winemaker?
That's exactly what we've brought together in the Aphelion 2025 Single Site Grenache Collection.
Four exceptional old-vine and single-site Grenaches. Four very different personalities. And one vintage that Rob believes is the finest we've ever made at Aphelion.
From the deeply savoury old vines of Wait to the magnificent, concentrated debut of Plaisted's, the precision of high-elevation Hickinbotham and the beautiful perfume of Brini, this is a fascinating journey through the vineyards that make McLaren Vale Grenache so special.
And the critics agree.
97 points - Wait, Halliday Wine Companion
96 points - Plaisted's, The Wine Front
96 points - Hickinbotham, Halliday Wine Companion and The Wine Front
96 points - Brini, Halliday Wine Companion
Four bottles. Four vineyard stories. Endless possibilities for a very good evening.
What's in the Collection?
One bottle each of our four 2025 Single Site Grenache Noir wines, selected from some of McLaren Vale's most remarkable vineyards.
| Wine | Vineyard origin | Bottles |
|---|---|---|
| Wait Single Site Grenache Noir 2025 | Blewitt Springs | 1 |
| Plaisted's Single Site Grenache Noir 2025 | Blewitt Sands | 1 |
| Hickinbotham Single Site Grenache Noir 2025 | Clarendon | 1 |
| Brini Single Site Grenache Noir 2025 | Blewitt Springs | 1 |
| Collection | 4 | |
Complimentary Limited Time 2025 Single Site Companion
Exclusively Available Direct From Aphelion Only
Every purchase of the new Single Site Grenache 2025 Collection made direct from Aphelion will receive, completely free of charge, three special launch edition time-limited bonuses:
- A full Enjoyment Guide;
- Four perfectly paired Recipe cards;
- Four Taste Over Time cards.
Limited Time Only
Available for qualifying purchases until Monday 2 November at 11:59pm Adelaide time. The wines themselves remain available after the bonuses expire, subject to stock.
About the Companion:
- Single Site Grenache Enjoyment Guide
Includes paired music Spotify playlist, how to serve your Single Site's so they show at their best, each wine's characteristics at a glance, ideas to open all four at home.
- Inspiring, Perfectly Paired Recipe Cards
A simply delicious meal suggestion that is easy to make and sure to please - for each of the Single Site wines. Included in your box with our compliments.
- Four Taste Over Time Cards.
Record how your Single Site's evolve over time by recording what you notice each time you try them. A set of the four Taste Over Time cards will be included in your box.
Meet the Four Grenaches
1. Brini - The Elegant, Aromatic One
Blewitt Springs | Upper Tank Block | RRP $90
Brini is a vineyard close to our hearts.
We've worked with the Brini family since Aphelion's very first vintage, and fruit from this remarkable vineyard has helped shape our Grenache story from the beginning.
The 2025 Brini is darker and more brooding than previous, cooler vintages, yet remains the most elegant and aromatic of our four Single Site wines.
Dark plum, cherry, cinnamon and forest berries meet lifted florals, mineral tension and beautifully fine tannins.
It's the wine that reminds us how powerfully Grenache can express its origins while retaining grace and perfume.
96 points - Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion
95+ points - Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front
"Fabulous quality."
Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front
2. Hickinbotham - The High-Elevation Original
Clarendon | South-facing Blocks 111-113 | RRP $90
What happens when Grenache grows high above the valley, on slopes protected from the hottest afternoon sun?
You get Hickinbotham.
The highest-elevation wine in our 2025 Single Site range, this is a Grenache of extraordinary precision and energy.
Bright cranberry, cherry and redcurrant meet fragrant florals, savoury herbs and fine spice. Beneath it all is a beautifully intricate framework of tannin and vibrant natural acidity.
Freshness without sacrificing flavour. Structure without heaviness. A wine that makes a compelling case for the extraordinary diversity of McLaren Vale Grenache.
96 points - Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion
96 points - Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front
"Exquisite."
Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front
3. Wait - The Old-Vine Powerhouse
Blewitt Springs | Bush vines planted in the mid-1940s | RRP $90
Some wines reveal everything in the first sip. Wait makes you work a little harder, and rewards you wonderfully for it.
From the Wait family's dry-grown Top Bush block, this is Grenache with extraordinary savoury depth. Dark cherry, turned earth, wild herbs and a slightly saline edge are carried by waves of persistent tannin.
It's structured, brooding and built to evolve. A wine to decant generously, serve with something delicious and revisit as the evening unfolds.
97 points - Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion
96+ points - Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front
"Wine of the Year contender."
Campbell Mattinson for The Wine Front
4. Plaisted's - The Magnificent Newcomer
Blewitt Sands | Vines planted in 1947 | RRP $90
Our newest Single Site Grenache has arrived with quite an introduction.
From the Hatwell family's Plaisted's vineyard, planted in 1947, this is the most concentrated and full-bodied wine of the four.
Imagine an irresistible perfume of blueberries, raspberries and violets, followed by dark cherry, cedar, sweet spice and a hint of orange zest. Powerful, beautifully controlled tannins carry the wine through an exceptionally long finish.
It's a wine for the good plates, slow-roasted lamb and a celebration worth remembering. Or a bottle tucked safely away for a milestone still to come.
96 points - Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front
"It's an epic release from Aphelion."
Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front
Four Vineyards. Four Very Different Personalities.
This is what makes the Collection so much fun.
All four wines come from McLaren Vale. All four are Grenache. All four were made by Rob in the same exceptional vintage, using a consistent winemaking approach.
And yet, they're remarkably different.
You'll discover the savoury intensity of dry-grown old bush vines at Wait.
The extraordinary concentration of Plaisted's, grown on deep Blewitt Sands.
The precision and freshness of Hickinbotham's high, south-facing Clarendon blocks.
And the elegant, aromatic expression of the Brini vineyard.
Different soils. Different elevations. Different vine histories. Different personalities.
One winemaker. One vintage. Four fascinating expressions of place.
It's a wonderful way to discover why we're so captivated by Grenache, and why McLaren Vale is one of the world's most exciting places to grow it.
Make an Evening of It - Your Own Grenache Tasting
Four bottles. Four glasses. A few people whose company you love.
Here's our idea of a rather excellent evening.
Invite a handful of wine-loving friends around. Put something delicious in the oven. Bring out the good glasses, a few cheeses and a notebook if you're feeling particularly serious.
Open all four wines and give them a generous decant. These are structured, tightly wound Grenaches that reward time and air.
Pour a little of each into separate glasses and begin exploring.
Start with Brini's beautiful perfume. Move to the freshness and precision of Hickinbotham. Discover the extraordinary concentration of Plaisted's. Finish with Wait's deep savoury character and waves of tannin.
Then do something even more interesting.
Go back to the first glass.
Notice how the wines have changed with air. Which one has become more fragrant? Which has softened? Which is revealing flavours you didn't notice before?
There are no wrong answers, and no need to agree.
In fact, half the fun is discovering that everyone around the table has a different favourite.
Put on some music. Bring out another course. Let the conversation wander.
That's the beauty of this Collection. It's not just four bottles of wine. It's an evening worth remembering.
Four Wines Made for the Table
Each wine has its own favourite companions, which makes this Collection a particularly enjoyable way to explore Grenache with food.
Wait - A generous bowl of sausage and thyme ragù, or a wedge of beautifully aged Comté. Rich, savoury flavours that meet the wine's deep earthy character and powerful tannins.
Plaisted's - Slow-roasted lamb shoulder with rosemary and garlic, or clothbound cheddar with quince paste. A wonderfully generous match for the wine's concentrated fruit and impressive structure.
Hickinbotham - Vegetable lasagne with a rich béchamel, or creamy d'Affinois. The wine's bright acidity and fine tannins bring freshness and balance to these comforting dishes.
Brini - Grilled venison with juniper and spice, or Crémeux d'Argental with fruit crackers. A beautiful pairing for Brini's perfume, savoury complexity and finely textured palate.
Or simply put all four bottles on the table with a generous spread of good food and let everyone discover their own favourite combination.
Make Moments Count.
One Extraordinary Vintage
Rob believes 2025 is the finest vintage Aphelion has ever made.
That's not something we say lightly.
Since our first vintage in 2014, Grenache has been at the heart of everything we do. We've spent years working with growers, learning the personalities of remarkable vineyards and refining how we capture their character in the bottle.
The 2025 Single Site Grenaches represent a particularly exciting moment in that journey.
Each wine has its own distinctive personality, but they share a remarkable combination of concentration, freshness, structure and length.
They are wines with something to say today, and plenty more to reveal over the years ahead.
All four have the potential to continue evolving through 2038 when stored correctly.
Open them together now. Or cellar them and follow their stories over time.
A Remarkable Grenache Gift
For the person who already knows a thing or two about wine. Or the one who's about to discover a new obsession.
Buying a special bottle for a wine lover can be surprisingly difficult.
But four exceptional Grenaches from four remarkable vineyards, all from the same vintage?
Now that's a gift with a story to tell.
Give the Collection to someone who loves discovering new wines, exploring the differences between vineyards or putting something special away in the cellar.
It's also a wonderful gift to share.
Imagine bringing the four bottles to a birthday dinner or anniversary celebration, pouring them side by side and letting everyone choose their favourite.
And because the wines have excellent cellaring potential, there's no pressure to open them all at once.
One for tonight. One for next year. One for a milestone. One for a future celebration you haven't even imagined yet.
Four bottles. So many possibilities.
The Complete 2025 Single Site Grenache Collection
One bottle each of Wait, Plaisted's, Hickinbotham and Brini Single Site Grenache Noir 2025.
This isn't a discounted mixed pack. It's the complete expression of our 2025 Single Site Grenache release, brought together so you can experience the vineyards alongside one another.
Each wine is made in genuinely small quantities, with only 1,200 standard bottles produced from each site.
Once an individual wine sells out, we may no longer be able to offer the complete Collection.
Four exceptional Grenaches. One extraordinary vintage. Discover your favourite.
Why This McLaren Vale Grenache Collection Is Different
This isn't simply four bottles of Grenache in a box.
It's a carefully curated exploration of four distinctive vineyards, all interpreted by the same winemaker in the same exceptional vintage.
Rather than comparing different wineries or winemaking styles, you're tasting the influence of place.
Old vines in Blewitt Springs. Deep sandy soils at Plaisted's. High, south-facing blocks in Clarendon. The remarkable perfume of Brini.
Each wine has been made with 100% whole-bunch fermentation and matured in neutral French oak, allowing the differences between vineyards to remain at the forefront.
For anyone curious about single-vineyard Grenache, old-vine McLaren Vale wines or the influence of terroir, this is a fascinating and delicious place to start.
And for those who already love Grenache, it's a rare opportunity to taste the complete 2025 Aphelion Single Site release together.
Buy Direct from the Aphelion Family Winery
When you buy the 2025 Single Site Grenache Collection direct from Aphelion, you're supporting the small family winery that works with these remarkable growers and makes each of these wines.
You're buying from the people who know the vineyards, picked the fruit, made the wines and chose the moment they were ready to share.
We're a first-generation family winery, and Grenache has been our focus since the very beginning.
Aphelion began with Grenache. Our focus is Grenache. And our future is Grenache.
Thank you for being part of our story.
More About the 2025 Single Site Grenache Collection
What's Included +
The Collection contains four 750 mL bottles:
- 1 x Wait Single Site Grenache Noir 2025
- 1 x Plaisted's Single Site Grenache Noir 2025
- 1 x Hickinbotham Single Site Grenache Noir 2025
- 1 x Brini Single Site Grenache Noir 2025
Total: 4 bottles / 3 litres
Collection price: $360 AUD
Region: McLaren Vale, South Australia
Variety: 100% Grenache Noir in each wine
Vintage: 2025
Each wine is unfiltered, unfined and vegan, and bottled under screwcap.
Vineyards and Winemaking +
Wait: Dry-grown bush vines planted in the mid-1940s in the Top Bush block, Blewitt Springs. Hand-picked 6 March 2025. 14.4% ABV.
Plaisted's: Middle section of the Hatwell family's vineyard in Blewitt Sands, planted in 1947 on deep sandy soils. Hand-picked 16 February 2025. 14.5% ABV.
Hickinbotham: High-elevation, south-facing Blocks 111-113 in Clarendon. Hand-picked 3 March 2025. 14.1% ABV.
Brini: Upper Tank Block of the Brini family vineyard in Blewitt Springs. Hand-picked 12 March 2025. 14.3% ABV.
All four wines were made using 100% whole-bunch fermentation, followed by maturation in large-format neutral French oak on full lees until racking for bottling in February 2026.
The consistent approach allows each vineyard's character to remain the focus.
Serving and Cellaring +
Serving temperature: 16-18°C.
Cellaring: All four wines have the potential to continue evolving through 2038 when stored correctly.
These are tightly wound, structured Grenaches that reward generous air and time.
If tasting them together while young, we recommend opening and decanting all four wines well before serving.
Pour modest tasting samples and revisit each wine over the evening. You may be surprised by how much their aromas, textures and flavours develop.
For collectors, the Collection offers an especially interesting opportunity to follow four distinctive vineyards as they evolve over time.
Critic Recognition - 2025 Vintage +
Wait
97 points - Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion
96+ points - Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front
95 points - Dr Jamie Goode, The Wine Anorak
Mattinson described Wait as a Wine of the Year contender.
Plaisted's
96 points - Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front
94+ points - Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion
"It's an epic release from Aphelion." - Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front.
Hickinbotham
96 points - Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion
96 points - Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front
Brini
96 points - Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion
95+ points - Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front
All reviews relate specifically to the 2025 vintage.
Shipping and Delivery +
We ship Aphelion wines direct from our family winery in McLaren Vale to eligible Australian delivery addresses.
Shipping costs and available delivery options are calculated at checkout. Bottled Sunshine Wine Club members receive free shipping on additional purchases.
Wine deliveries are subject to Australian liquor laws and delivery restrictions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all four wines come from the same vintage?
Yes. All four Grenaches are from the 2025 vintage and were made by Aphelion winemaker Rob Mack using a consistent approach. This makes the Collection a particularly interesting way to explore the differences between four McLaren Vale vineyards.
Can I cellar the wines rather than open them together?
Absolutely. All four 2025 Single Site Grenaches have the potential to continue evolving through 2038 when stored correctly. You can enjoy them together now, open one at a time over the coming years or cellar the complete Collection and compare their development later.
Is this Collection suitable for a wine tasting or gift?
Yes. The Collection is designed for discovering four different expressions of Grenache and makes a thoughtful gift for wine enthusiasts. You can host a four-wine tasting with friends, pair each bottle with food or save them for special occasions.
Love Grenache? Come Closer to Aphelion.
If you've enjoyed discovering our four Single Site Grenaches, we'd love to welcome you into the Aphelion Bottled Sunshine Wine Club.
Members enjoy early access to new releases and events, exclusive and museum wines, and 10% off additional purchases with free shipping.
It's a lovely way to stay connected to our little family winery and discover what's coming next.
DISCOVER THE APHELION WINE CLUB →
Regular bottled sunshine deliveries to your door – what could be more convenient than that? We sweeten the deal by making the club totally flexible, offering exclusive benefits, and free gifts as well.
Your commitment to us as a member is so important to the sustainability of our dream to make delicious wines to be enjoyed with food and your life’s best moments, that we offer a host of benefits to you, our Bottled Sun Lovers.
Why Join? How About These Benefits!
- Free Shipping: On your allocations and on any additional purchases throughout the year.
- Complete Flexibility: Choose your frequency and number of wines at the click of a button. And if your needs change, your club changes with you. Want more or less wines? No problem, it's easy to switch. Need a holiday from your deliveries? You've got it! With your members' area, you are in control.
- Very Special Wines: Exclusive access to pre-release and rare museum wines.
- Exclusive Discounts: Your packs will always be higher in value than what you pay. It starts with your pack discount (5, 10 or 15% off core range RRP). Everything additional you purchase from our online store comes at a 10% discount with free shipping. Plus exclusive discounts for our events and wine dinners.
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Exclusive VIP Cellar Door Tastings: At our cellar door or in the vineyard, tastings are always free for you and your guests accompanying you. Plus we will give you the VIP treatment you deserve, like pre-release, museum and premium tastings.
- Surprise Gifts: Well if we told you - it wouldn't be a surprise would it?
- Low Minimum Term: Our minimum term of membership is just one year and 12 bottles across that year.
- No Exit Fees: Changed your mind? We can reduce your frequency and/or pack size. There are also no exit fees after your one year minimum term.
How Does It Work?
- Your Choice: Choose your frequency of deliveries and the Number of bottles per delivery. You can change your choices whenever you like and even take a subscription “holiday” and skip a delivery. Even tell us if there are any particular wines you would like in your pack when you get your renewal notices, otherwise our winemaker Rob’s expert selection will be hand selected for you.
- Charged On the 1st: Your first pack will be charged for on the first of the month after you sign up. Your first pack will then be hand picked, hand packed and dispatched shortly thereafter. Your renewals will then be processed on the first of the month according to the schedule you chose (monthly, quarterly or six monthly).
- Reminders: You’ll get a handy email reminder a week before your pack is due to be sent – a good time to update your contact or payment details, or to let us know if you would like certain wines in your pack.
- Value Forever: Your pack will always be worth more than what you pay. For starters, you get 5%, 10% or 15% off the core range rrp. Then you have a special free shipping & 10% discount coupon for additional purchases. Then we add value by putting money-can’t-buy exclusives, bonus gifts and our higher value wines in your pack.
- Convenience: You deserve to enjoy receiving delicious wines to your door, sharing them with friends over dinner, at your favourite BYO restaurant, or on cosy nights in.
For Terms & Conditions (there aren’t many, don’t worry!) please view our “Club” page.
Blewitt Springs Single Site Grenache | 95 Points | Only 800 Bottles
BRINI VINEYARD · UPPER TANK BLOCK · BLEWITT SPRINGS · McLAREN VALE
Aphelion Brini Single Site Grenache 2024 is a $90 premium McLaren Vale Grenache made from one specific block within the Brini family's vineyard in Blewitt Springs.
Dark-fruited, savoury and brooding, with 100% whole-bunch fermentation and just 800 bottles produced.
95 points - Erin Larkin, Robert Parker Wine Advocate
95 points - Huon Hooke, The Real Review
Meet Brini Single Site Grenache 2024
We've known this block from the beginning.
Fruit from the Brini family's vineyard has been part of Aphelion since our first vintage and remains one of the building blocks of Confluence Grenache.
But the upper tank block has a personality worth seeing on its own.
Of our Single Site Grenaches, Brini is the roundest and most intense: darker fruit, earth, spice and forest-floor complexity wrapped around a savoury, structured core.
And the 2024 vintage gave us a particularly fascinating expression of the site.
The vineyard didn't change. The block didn't change. Rob's approach didn't change.
The season did.
Why Buy Brini Single Site Grenache 2024?
📍 One Site · Blewitt Springs
From the upper tank block of the Brini family's vineyard, on sandy-based loam soils in one of McLaren Vale's most prized Grenache subregions.
🥇 95 + 95 Points
95 points from Erin Larkin for Robert Parker Wine Advocate and 95 points from Huon Hooke for The Real Review.
🍇 100% Whole Bunch
Fermented entirely as whole bunches before élevage in neutral old French oak puncheons.
✨ Only 800 Bottles
A genuinely tiny release from one specific block within one vineyard.
🌿 Unfiltered · Unfined · Vegan
Made with a gentle hand and bottled under Diam Origine.
🍷 $90 per bottle
A Single Site Grenache for drinkers who want to explore what happens when one place, one season and one winemaking approach are allowed to speak for themselves.
What Does Brini Grenache 2024 Taste Like?
Brini has always been the darker, rounder and more brooding member of our Single Site family.
The 2024 vintage brings pressed flowers, pomegranate and redcurrant alongside darker fruit, with clove, ash and savoury spice adding complexity.
The tannins are particularly interesting this year — sinewy, structured and textural, giving the wine an almost mineral firmness.
There's tart raspberry, savoury spice and an earthy edge underneath it all.
This isn't Grenache built around sweetness or sheer weight.
It's a wine that makes you lean back towards the glass.
One Block. One Season. A Different Brini.
One of the most compelling things about Single Site wine is discovering what changes when almost everything else stays the same.
Rob made the 2024 Brini in the same way as previous vintages.
Same vineyard.
Same upper block.
Same 100% whole bunch.
Same old puncheons.
Yet the tannins and whole-bunch character of the 2024 feel markedly different.
When Erin Larkin tasted the wine, the texture made her wonder whether Rob had changed the maturation vessel. He hadn't.
Her conclusion was much more interesting:
what we're tasting is the impact of the season.
That's why we make Single Site Grenache.
Not to make the same wine every year, but to give a remarkable place enough space for the differences to show.
Made for the Table
Goes With Food
Slow-cooked lamb shoulder with rosemary, garlic and charred edges.
Brini has the depth for slow-cooked meat, while its savoury whole-bunch spice and fine tannin cut through richness and keep the next mouthful — and the next glass — interesting.
Goes With Cheese
Aged Comté or earthy washed-rind cheese.
The nuttiness and savoury depth of the cheese meet Brini's earth, spice and forest-floor characters rather than competing with its perfume.
Goes With Music
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds — Red Right Hand.
Dark, restrained and immediately a little mysterious. The opening creates tension before the song slowly reveals more of itself — much like Brini's brooding first impression.
Then there's that rasp and menace running through the middle: a neat musical counterpart to the wine's savoury whole-bunch spice and sinewy tannin.
Neither needs to shout to hold your attention.
Fits In With Life
Dinner for four, when you've actually got time to talk.
Something slow-cooked in the middle of the table. Phones have disappeared. Nobody is waiting for the next booking.
You pour Brini because tonight there is time to notice the wine change in the glass — and enough conversation that nobody needs to turn it into a tasting exercise.
A good bottle. A small table. A long conversation.
Make Moments Count.
Brini or Confluence?
| Brini Single Site 2024 | Confluence Grenache 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | One upper block in the Brini vineyard | Multiple McLaren Vale sites |
| Place | Blewitt Springs | Blewitt Springs + Clarendon |
| Style | Brooding, savoury, dark-fruited and structured | Perfumed, savoury, fresh and immediately approachable |
| Whole bunch | 100% | 30% |
| Choose it for | Exploring site, season and the more serious side of Grenache | Versatility, dinner, wine bars and discovering Aphelion Grenache |
Confluence shows what happens when remarkable sites come together. Brini shows what happens when we zoom right in.
Buy Brini Direct from the Aphelion Family Winery
Only 800 bottles of Brini Single Site Grenache 2024 were produced.
When you buy direct from Aphelion, you're buying from the small family winery that made the wine — closer to the vineyard, the grower, the winemaking and the story behind the bottle.
It's also where you'll find our complete Grenache range and receive first access to tiny releases that may never make it as far as retail.
Thank you for supporting our family winery directly.
Wine Club members receive member pricing, early access to new and limited releases, exclusive wines, complimentary tastings and free shipping.
DISCOVER THE APHELION WINE CLUB →
More About Brini Single Site Grenache 2024
The Vineyard +
Brini Single Site Grenache comes from the upper tank block of the Brini family's vineyard in Blewitt Springs, within McLaren Vale, South Australia.
This vineyard has been part of Aphelion's story since our first vintage and its fruit forms part of the backbone of Confluence Grenache.
The upper block's sandy-based loam soils give Brini intensity and a characteristically darker, brooding expression.
By bottling this block separately, we can explore the character of one particular site rather than blending it into a broader expression of McLaren Vale.
How We Made It +
Brini 2024 was fermented using 100% whole bunches.
After fermentation, the wine was pressed to neutral old French oak puncheons for élevage of approximately one year.
The gentle approach is deliberate: rather than imposing winemaking character on the wine, the aim is to allow the vineyard and vintage to remain visible.
13.5% ABV · Diam Origine closure · Unfiltered · Unfined · Vegan
Critic Recognition +
2024 Vintage
95 points — Erin Larkin, Robert Parker Wine Advocate
95 points — Huon Hooke, The Real Review
93 points — Gary Walsh, The Wine Front
92 points — Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion
Marcus Ellis described the wine as sinewy, spicy and savoury, noting its tart raspberry, balsamic-macerated strawberry, umeboshi, iron, pepper and restrained floral characters. His advice for the wine's evolution was wonderfully simple: “Give it a year or so and it will soar.”
Brini Through the Vintages +
2024 Vintage
95 points — Erin Larkin, Robert Parker Wine Advocate
95 points — Huon Hooke, The Real Review
93 points — Gary Walsh, The Wine Front
92 points — Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion
2023 Vintage
95 points — Erin Larkin, Robert Parker Wine Advocate
95 points — Huon Hooke, The Real Review
93 points — Gary Walsh, The Wine Front
92 points — Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion
2022 Vintage
95+ points — Gary Walsh, The Wine Front
95+ points — Erin Larkin, Robert Parker Wine Advocate
92 points — Ned Goodwin, Halliday Wine Companion
2021 Vintage
97 points — Nick Stock, JamesSuckling.com
92 points — Ned Goodwin, Halliday Wine Companion
Four vintages. A changing season. One remarkable site.
Pairings + Cellaring +
Brini 2024 is structured, savoury and youthful. Marcus Ellis suggested giving the wine additional time to unfurl, making this a particularly interesting bottle for the cellar as well as the table.
If opening it young, give it plenty of air and allow it to change in the glass.
For food, think slow-cooked lamb, roast duck, mushrooms, charred vegetables and other dishes with savoury depth.
Shipping +
We deliver Aphelion wines throughout Australia by Australia Post.
- South Australia: $15 flat-rate shipping per order.
- Rest of Australia: $20 flat-rate shipping per order.
- Wine Club members: Free shipping.
- Orders are usually dispatched within 2 business days.
- Delivery generally takes between 2 and 10 business days depending on location.
Wines cannot be shipped to dry zones and will not be delivered to anyone under 18 years of age.
Questions About Brini Single Site Grenache 2024
What is Brini Single Site Grenache 2024?
Aphelion Brini Single Site Grenache 2024 is a premium McLaren Vale Grenache made exclusively from the upper tank block of the Brini family's vineyard in Blewitt Springs, South Australia. It was fermented with 100% whole bunches and only 800 bottles were produced.
Where is the Brini vineyard?
The Brini vineyard is in Blewitt Springs, a subregion of McLaren Vale in South Australia. Brini Single Site Grenache comes specifically from the vineyard's upper tank block.
What does Brini Grenache 2024 taste like?
Brini 2024 is dark-fruited, savoury and structured, with pressed flowers, pomegranate, redcurrant, clove, ash and spice. It has distinctive sinewy tannins and a darker, more brooding personality than the other Aphelion Single Site Grenaches.
What does “Single Site Grenache” mean?
For Aphelion, Single Site Grenache means isolating fruit from one specific block within a vineyard so its particular expression of place and season can be seen more clearly. Brini comes exclusively from the upper tank block of the Brini vineyard.
Is Brini Grenache made using whole bunches?
Yes. Brini Single Site Grenache 2024 was fermented using 100% whole bunches, contributing aromatic complexity, savoury spice and structure.
How was Brini Grenache 2024 matured?
After 100% whole-bunch fermentation, Brini 2024 was pressed to neutral old French oak puncheons for approximately one year of élevage.
How rare is Brini Single Site Grenache 2024?
Only 800 bottles of Brini Single Site Grenache 2024 were produced.
Has Brini Grenache 2024 received critic reviews?
Yes. Brini Single Site Grenache 2024 received 95 points from Erin Larkin for Robert Parker Wine Advocate, 95 points from Huon Hooke for The Real Review, 93 points from Gary Walsh for The Wine Front and 92 points from Marcus Ellis for Halliday Wine Companion.
Is Brini Grenache suitable for cellaring?
Yes. Brini 2024 has significant structure and youthful tannin. It can also be enjoyed young with air; Marcus Ellis specifically suggested giving the wine more time to develop and predicted that it would “soar.”
Is Brini Single Site Grenache vegan?
Yes. Brini Single Site Grenache 2024 is unfiltered, unfined and vegan.
What is the alcohol percentage of Brini Grenache 2024?
Brini Single Site Grenache 2024 is 13.5% ABV and is bottled under Diam Origine.
About Aphelion Wine Co.
Aphelion is a small, family-owned winery in McLaren Vale, South Australia, with a particular obsession with Grenache.
We work closely with growers and make small batches from remarkable vineyards and specific sites, allowing differences in place and season to remain visible in the finished wine.
Aphelion began with Grenache. Our focus is Grenache. And our future is Grenache.
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Blewitt Springs Single Site Grenache 2025 | 96 Points | 1,200 Bottles
BRINI VINEYARD · UPPER TANK BLOCK · BLEWITT SPRINGS · McLAREN VALE
One remarkable vineyard. One extraordinary vintage.
Aphelion Brini Single Site Grenache Noir 2025 is a premium $90 McLaren Vale Grenache from the upper tank block of the Brini family's Blewitt Springs vineyard.
Darker and more brooding than previous, cooler Brini vintages, yet still the most elegant and aromatic of our four 2025 Single Site Grenache's in the Collectioin. A classically Blewitt Springs expression, with lifted perfume, dark cherry, plum, savoury spice and finely structured tannins.
Rob believes 2025 is the finest vintage we've ever made at Aphelion. Brini is one compelling reason why.
96 points - Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion
95+ points - Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front
Why Choose Brini Single Site Grenache 2025?
96 Points · Halliday Wine Companion
Marcus Ellis highlights its layered dark fruit, ripe, fine yet pithy tannins and energising acidity.
95+ Points · The Wine Front
Campbell Mattinson describes a steely, mineral and floral Grenache of fabulous quality.
One Remarkable Site · Blewitt Springs
From the upper tank block of the Brini family vineyard, in the northeastern corner of Blewitt Springs, McLaren Vale.
100% Whole Bunch
Hand-picked Grenache, fermented entirely as whole bunches and matured in large-format neutral French oak.
Only 1,200 Bottles
A tiny Single Site release, with a further 50 Magnums bottled separately.
Drink Now–2038
A tightly structured Grenache with the potential to evolve beautifully over time. Give it generous air if opening young.
Meet Brini Single Site Grenache 2025
Some vineyards become part of your story. Others help write it.
The Brini family's vineyard has been part of Aphelion since our first vintage in 2014. Its Grenache remains a cornerstone of Confluence, the wine that first introduced so many people to our little winery.
But high on the vineyard, the upper tank block has a personality all its own.
The sandy-based loam soils give us Grenache with intensity and depth. In 2025, that familiar character is darker and more brooding than in previous, cooler vintages, with black cherry, plum and dark spice.
Yet among our four 2025 Single Site Grenaches, Brini remains the most elegant and aromatic — a beautiful expression of the perfume, finesse and vitality we love about Blewitt Springs.
It's a wine of contrasts: dark fruit and lifted florals, fine tannins and vibrant acidity, immediate intrigue and layers that take time to reveal themselves.
The kind of wine that rewards curiosity.
Complimentary Limited Time 2025 Single Site Companion
Exclusively Available Direct From Aphelion Only
Every purchase of the new Single Site Grenache 2025 Collection made direct from Aphelion will receive, completely free of charge, three special launch edition time-limited bonuses:
- A full Enjoyment Guide;
- A perfectly paired Recipe card;
- A Taste Over Time card.
Limited Time Only
Available for qualifying purchases until Monday 2 November at 11:59pm Adelaide time. The wines themselves remain available after the bonuses expire, subject to stock.
About the Companion:
- Single Site Grenache Enjoyment Guide
Includes paired music Spotify playlist, how to serve your Single Site's so they show at their best, each wine's characteristics at a glance, ideas to open all four at home.
- Inspiring, Perfectly Paired Recipe Card
A simply delicious meal suggestion that is easy to make and sure to please. Included in your box with our compliments.
- A Taste Over Time Card.
Record how your Single Site's evolve over time by recording what you notice each time you try them. A Taste Over Time card will be included in your box.
What Does Brini Grenache 2025 Taste Like?
Brini opens with lifted aromas of cinnamon, damson plum, black cherry and dark spice, with floral notes and a wild, brambly edge.
Give it time in the glass and the details emerge: redcurrant, forest berries, mint, earthy undergrowth, cocoa and a savoury suggestion of Australian bush spice.
The medium-plus-bodied palate brings sweet cherry fruit balanced by a herbal, mineral edge. Ripe, fine yet pithy tannins give the wine its architecture, while energising acidity carries the flavours through a long, persistent finish.
There's darkness here, but not heaviness. Elegance, but certainly not fragility.
Brini is a wine of contrasts — and that's what makes it so compelling.
Made for the Table
Goes With Food
Grilled venison with juniper and spices.
The juniper echoes Brini's herbal, briary character, while the spices meet its lifted cinnamon and clove notes. The wine's tannins provide structure against the richness of the meat, and its cherry fruit offers a beautiful contrast to the savoury flavours.
Goes With Cheese
Crémeux d'Argental with fruit crackers.
The cheese's creamy texture softens the impression of Brini's prominent tannins. The fruit crackers pick up its cherry and plum notes, while the wine's savoury edge keeps the pairing balanced.
Goes With Music
The Rolling Stones - Beast of Burden.
There's something wonderfully unforced about this song. The opening guitar groove draws you in without demanding attention, while the interlocking guitars keep revealing little details as the song rolls along.
Brini has a similar quality. Its lifted aromatics make the introduction, but it's the interplay of dark cherry, savoury herbs, spice and persistent tannin that holds your attention.
The music is relaxed; the wine has structure. Together, they're a reminder that complexity doesn't have to be complicated.
Goes With Life
The dinner that turns into a listening session.
Four friends around the table. The main course is finished, but the glasses aren't empty. Someone puts on a record. Someone else turns it over.
Brini is the bottle you keep returning to between conversations, discovering a little more each time.
And if the evening is yours alone? A favourite book, a comfortable chair and a glass worth paying attention to will do nicely.
Make Moments Count.
Discover the 2025 Single Site Grenache Collection
One extraordinary vintage. Four remarkable sites. Four distinctly different expressions of Grenache.
Rob believes 2025 is Aphelion's finest vintage yet. The most rewarding way to explore that belief is to taste the vineyards alongside one another.
Our 2025 Single Site Grenache Collection brings together one bottle each of:
- Brini - Blewitt Springs: The most elegant and aromatic of the four, with dark fruit, floral lift and mineral tension. 96 Halliday · 95+ Wine Front.
- Wait - Blewitt Springs: Old-vine Grenache with extraordinary perfume, power and structure. A Wine of the Year contender according to Campbell Mattinson. 97 Halliday · 96+ Wine Front.
- Plaisted - Blewitt Sands: From vines planted in 1947. Perfumed, tightly wound and built to reveal itself over time. 96 Wine Front · 94+ Halliday.
- Hickinbotham - Clarendon: High, south-facing vineyard blocks producing savoury, precise Grenache with crystalline acidity and firm, web-like tannins. 96 Halliday · 96 Wine Front.
Four vineyards. One extraordinary vintage. Four very different personalities.
All four are tightly wound, structured wines with the potential to evolve through 2038. They reward curiosity, generous air and time - whether that's an evening watching the wine unfold in your glass or years resting quietly in your cellar.
Taste them side by side. Share them with friends. Discover which vineyard speaks to you.
EXPLORE THE 2025 SINGLE SITE GRENACHE COLLECTION →
Buy Direct from the Aphelion Family Winery
When you buy Brini Single Site Grenache direct from Aphelion, you're supporting the small family winery that has worked with this remarkable vineyard since our first vintage.
You're buying from the people who know the grower, picked the fruit, made the wine and chose the moment it was ready to share.
You'll also find our complete Grenache range, including limited releases and access to wines that may never reach retail shelves.
Thank you for supporting our family winery directly.
Our Bottled Sunshine Wine Club members enjoy exclusive and pre-release wines, early access to new releases and events, 10% off additional purchases and free shipping.
DISCOVER THE APHELION WINE CLUB →
More About Brini Single Site Grenache 2025
The Vineyard +
Brini Single Site Grenache Noir 2025 comes from the upper tank block of the Brini family vineyard, in the northeastern corner of Blewitt Springs, McLaren Vale, South Australia.
The vineyard has supplied Aphelion since our inaugural vintage in 2014 and remains an important component of our Confluence Grenache.
Its sandy-based loam soils contribute intensity and a brooding character. In 2025, that depth is expressed alongside remarkable aromatic lift, fine tannins and energising acidity.
By bottling the upper tank block separately, we can explore the particular personality of this place rather than blending it into a broader McLaren Vale expression.
How We Made It +
Variety: 100% Grenache Noir
Harvest: Hand-picked on 12 March 2025.
Fermentation: 100% whole bunch, with a slow, cool ferment.
Maturation: Large-format neutral French oak, on full lees until racking for bottling in February 2026.
Alcohol: 14.3% ABV
Production: 1,200 standard bottles and 50 Magnums.
Closure: Screwcap
Winemaking: Unfiltered, unfined and vegan.
The approach is deliberately gentle, allowing the vineyard and the vintage to remain the defining features of the wine.
Serving and Cellaring +
Serving temperature: 16–18°C.
Drinking window: Now–2038.
Give Brini some air.
Like all four 2025 Single Site Grenaches, Brini is tightly structured and layered. These are wines that reward curiosity, air and time.
Marcus Ellis found Brini continuing to improve over three days, revealing greater complexity as it opened.
If drinking young, decant generously and take your time with it. For longer-term enjoyment, its fine, pithy tannins and vibrant acidity provide a promising foundation for cellaring through 2038.
Critic Recognition - 2025 Vintage +
96 points - Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion
Ellis highlights the wine's dark cherry and plum fruit, spice, savoury complexity and tightly layered structure. He particularly praises its ripe, fine yet pithy tannins and energising acidity, noting that the wine improved with air and was even better on day three.
95+ points - Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front
Mattinson describes Brini as steely, mineral and floral, with redcurrant, mint, forest berries, cocoa, earth and undergrowth. He notes its impressive tannin structure and slightly more yielding character compared with the other 2025 Single Site releases.
Published: 1 September 2026 (Halliday Wine Companion) and 31 August 2026 (The Wine Front).
Shipping and Delivery +
We ship Aphelion wines direct from our family winery in McLaren Vale to eligible Australian delivery addresses.
Shipping costs and available delivery options are calculated at checkout. Bottled Sunshine Wine Club members receive free shipping on additional purchases.
Wine deliveries are subject to Australian liquor laws and delivery restrictions.
Questions About Brini Single Site Grenache 2025
Should I decant Brini Grenache 2025?
Yes, particularly if opening it young. Brini 2025 is structured and tightly layered. Marcus Ellis found the wine continued to improve over three days, revealing greater complexity as it opened. Generous aeration will help the wine express its aromatics and texture.
How does Brini 2025 compare with previous vintages?
Brini 2025 is darker and more brooding than previous, cooler vintages, while retaining the aromatic elegance characteristic of Blewitt Springs Grenache. It combines dark cherry, plum and spice with fine tannins and vibrant acidity. Among Aphelion's four 2025 Single Site Grenaches, it is the most elegant and aromatic.
Is Brini Single Site Grenache 2025 vegan?
Yes. Brini Single Site Grenache Noir 2025 is unfiltered, unfined and vegan.
Can I buy Brini Grenache directly from the winery?
Yes. You can buy Brini Single Site Grenache 2025 directly from Aphelion Wine Co., the small family winery in McLaren Vale that makes the wine. Buying direct supports the producer and gives you access to the complete Aphelion Grenache range, including limited releases and Wine Club benefits.
About Aphelion Wine Co.
Aphelion is a small, family-owned winery in McLaren Vale, South Australia, founded by Rob and Louise Mack in 2014.
Grenache has been our focus since our first vintage in 2014. We work closely with growers and make small batches from remarkable vineyards, allowing differences in place and season to remain visible in the finished wine.
We believe great wine belongs at the table, shared with good food, good people and conversations worth having.
Aphelion began with Grenache. Our focus is Grenache. And our future is Grenache.
```
Discover Brini Single Site Chenin Blanc 2024 from McLaren Vale's best vineyards in Blewitt Springs. Premium Australian white wine, abundant with terroir expression.
Aphelion began with Grenache. Our focus is Grenache. Our future is Grenache. And the white variety we champion is Chenin Blanc.
Guided by the deft and gentle hands of Rob Mack it sings of its' purity and place.
_______________________________________________________
"Beautifully refined and elegant" - Marcus Ellis for Halliday Wine Companion
"(A) perfumed finish of excellent length, some lemon zest in the aftertaste. Complex and composed." - Gary Walsh for The Wine Front
_______________________________________________________
Sourced from the 52 year old house block owned by the Brini family since we first produced Chenin Blanc in 2019.
Golden apple, white pear, green melon, and fennel seed, with subtle oak notes from its Stockinger puncheon. It has a chiselled, mineral texture, and is electrified by bright, natural acidity. Reserved in its youth, it promises excellent complexity and length with more time in the bottle.
_______________________________________________________
| Unfined | Vegan
_______________________________________________________
Production: 600 bottles produced under Diam Origine.
ABV: 13.5%
Accolades:
96 points Marcus Ellis for Halliday Wine Companion
94 points David Sly for Decanter
93+points Campbell Mattinson for The Wine Front
"This may be McLaren Vale’s, indeed the country’s, top-priced chenin blanc. But why not?...Beautifully refined and elegant, oak a calm chaperone, with golden apple, white pear, fennel seed, a little oatmeal and a maritime thing, lit up with oyster shells and sea breezes. It’s chiselled, mineral, subtly textural and electrified by ripe, natural acidity. Lovely. Only 600 bottles made." - Marcus Ellis for Halliday Wine Companion
"(A) perfumed finish of excellent length, some lemon zest in the aftertaste. Complex and composed. It does show a bit of oak scaffolding, though it’s very nice oak mind you, and will almost certainly improve with more time in bottle." - Gary Walsh for The Wine Front
"Lovely finish. Will be excellent in time." - Campbell Mattinson for The Wine Front
"(S)oft, round and flavoursome in its youth, with more to show in the future. The finish is crisp and refreshing with appley acidity and crunch. Slightly coconutty. This needs more time." - Huon Hooke for The Real Review
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Note: Please email if you wish to buy a 3 pack.
Select between a 3, 6 or 12 bottle case to Buy the Aphelion Brini Single Vineyard Chenin Blanc 2024. Psst...Like the sound of our exclusive pre-sale access, Members pricing ($81) plus perks like free shipping? Step right this way...
On The Blog
Life moves fast at Aphelion Wine HQ, and there is always news to share. Here is our news hub, where you will find the latest articles, blog posts, reviews, events and sales.
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