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From $119.00
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.
A very special and exclusive set of rewards are in store for the most valued appreciators of our Aphelion wines - our Bottled Sunshine Wine Club Members.
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.
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.
Those benefits start with a handsome discount on your member allocations- fixed and frozen to the time you signed up. No price rises for you!
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.
-
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.
From $220.00
Something old is new again. And also old.
Back for a good time, not a long time is the NB Grenache 2024.
The wine that kept us guessing… and which told its own story.
Named for its evolving aromas, flavours that changed every time Rob tasted it, and yes… it overflowed its fermenter!
A wine with a mind of its own.
A one of a kind, a one off, well now the name comes alive again. A worthy recipient of the "Naughty Boy" moniker.
100 cases.
100 year old vines.
$220 a dozen.
Meet NB Grenache 2024
Tasting Note:
Black cherry. Star anise. 1/4 teaspoon of crushed blueberries.
Then sniff again.
The back of nanna's dried herb cupboard.
Another sniff.
Bright raspberry and cranberry!
Told you it's a chameleon.
It tastes like early summer in the early afternoon. The BBQ is on, the friends are on the deck chairs while the kids shout from the trampoline and the dog drools every time someone pops cheese and cracker in their mouth.
It's juicy with raspberry, supported by dark undertones and a welcome lick of tannin.
Honestly, at $220 a dozen for a Rob Mack made Grenache, from 100 year old vines in Blewitt Springs, why on earth wouldn't you add to cart?!
Goes With Food: Grilled lamb cutlets with rosemary, wood-fired pizza, charred capsicum & haloumi skewers, or anything shared straight from the BBQ plate before it reaches the table.
Goes With Cheese: Vintage cheddar, aged Manchego, or a creamy D’Affinois — bonus points if there are crackers and you’re eating standing up, chatting, distracted.
Goes With Music: Culture Club – Karma Chameleon.
Goes With Life: When you are smiling and the sun is shining.
Serve At: 16-18 degrees Celsius.
When to Drink: Enjoy now. Or make an experiment and see how it evolves. It has the acid and tannin to evolve over time.
ABV%: 13.5%
Unfiltered | Unfined | Vegan
Buy the NB Grenache by Aphelion 2024 by 12 bottle case.
From $199.00
Three intriguing wines that explore the power of terroir within tiny, discrete micro-parcels of a single vineyard. Paired with the ability of Grenache to clearly express those differences.
Not only can McLaren Vale Grenache evoke sense of place of a whole vineyard, it can also highlight with great clarity the difference that mere metres can make within a vineyard - at a sub-vineyard, micro-plot level.
The extremely limited production Hickinbotham Series is from a triangle of three very small Grenache blocks at one of the highest elevation points of the whole Hickinbotham of Clarendon vineyard.
All picked the same day.
All made the same way.
Strikingly different, yet with the same exquisite core of balance.
The climate, sunshine, rain, geology, soil, topography and the soil–water relations even as close as just meters apart are clearly discernible in these wines.
A special pack with all three Aphelion Hickinbotham Series Grenache Wines:
- 1 x Aphelion Hickinbotham Series Block 111 Grenache 2024 ;
- 1 x Aphelion Hickinbotham Series Block 112 Grenache 2024 ;
- 1 x Aphelion Hickinbotham Series Block 113 Grenache 2024.
Available as a 3 Pack, a 6 Pack, or a 12 Bottle Case.
Extremely limited production. Just 360 bottles of each wine.
Fill your glass with this thought and conversation provoking trio.
They'll impress taking pride of place on your table.
Why not gather some friends and open one of each?
#shopsmall
About Aphelion Hickinbotham Series Block 111 Grenache 2024
111 is the smallest block located at the top of the triangle. The highest altitude wine in the series at 245m to 250m ASL, it showcases finesse and great elegance.
Tasting Note: Crunchy red berry fruit flavours are carried by juicy and crisp acidity. A light to medium body with a lovely purity. The fruit dances along the palate followed by the fine tannins which spread out to provide significant length of flavour.
Click For Tasting Note of Block 111.
About Aphelion Hickinbotham Series Block 112 Grenache 2024.
112 a larger contour of the triangle, around twice the size of Block 111. The second highest altitude wine in the series at 240m to 245m ASL, it showcases spice, texture and structure.
Tasting Note: Cinnamon and nutmeg spices float from the glass with red berry fruit in support. Tannins are moderate with a cat’s tongue texture and provide a good framework for the flavours through the palate. Acidity is slightly lower than the Block 111 wine which results in a rounder mouthfeel. Flavours linger long on the palate thanks to the good concentration and density of fruit.
Click For Tasting Note of Block 112.
About Aphelion Hickinbotham Series Block 113 Grenache 2024.
113 hugs the base contour of the triangle and is slightly larger in area than 111 + 112 combined. The lowest highest altitude wine in the series, at 235m to 240m ASL, this wine showcases dark fruit, structure and vibrancy.
Tasting Note: The fruit moves into the blue and black spectrum and the body of the wine is medium – the fullest of the trio. Tannins are dense and well-rounded and carry the blackberry and plum fruit long through the palate. Fresh acidity keeps the wine vibrant and light on its feet, but this is undoubtedly the most hedonistic of the three block wines.
Click For Tasting Note of Block 113.
More Information About the Hickinbotham Series
Detailed information about the vineyard, the Blocks, winemaking and resulting wines can be found on the Aphelion blog by clicking here.
From $28.00 /Per Bottle
The Welkin Sparkling Chenin Blanc By Aphelion 2021 is part of our brand new special range of vibrant, early release, ready to enjoy, but delightfully complex wines.
Our first sparkling wine.
Pale straw colour in the glass.
Aromatics of red apple and lemon curd lead to a palate that is fresh and vibrant.
Great mouthfeel and length of the palate.
Raise a toast with the Welkin Sparkling Chenin Blanc 2021.
Goes With Food: Fresh oysters are a perfect match - the crispness and light body of the wine cut through the richness of the oyster perfectly.
Goes With Cheese: A high quality Parmesan will match the light brioche characters in the wine.
Goes With Music: Kanye – Ghost Town.
Goes With Life: Pop this wine to celebrate life’s best moments! Also a great start to any evening meal.
Serve At: 10-12 degrees Celsius.
When to Drink: Ready to drink now but will cellar well over the next 3 to 5 years.
ABV%: 11.5%
Select between a 6 bottle pack or 12 bottle case to Buy the Welkin Sparkling Chenin Blanc by Aphelion 2021.
From $28.00 /Per Bottle
The Welkin Grenache By Aphelion 2024 is part of our special range of vibrant, early release, ready to enjoy, but delightfully complex wines.
We like to call the Welkin Grenache "furiously aromatic".
It fairly leaps out of the glass at you!
Delicately hand picked with 50% from a 20 year old Grenache vineyard towards the sea in Whites Valley and 50% from the hilly, sandy Blewitt Springs.
Revel in this wine's light body, heady spiciness and juicy acidity.
Meet Welkin Grenache
Tasting Note: Beautifully intense purple colour. Pure fruited aromas of redcurrant and cinnamon follow through on to the palate with fresh acidity keeping the wine lively and
vibrant. A small percentage of whole bunch fermentation in the wine adds a savoury element and herbal notes. The Welkin Grenache is a light bodied wine that works very well in an aperitivo setting.
Goes With Food: Perfect with light tapas or light to medium bodied cuisine.
Goes With Cheese: Fresh chevre matches this wine’s youthful vibrancy.
Goes With Music: Jake Bugg – Lightning Bolt.
Goes With Life: A great wine to kick off with, it’s light body keeps the drinkability factor high.
Serve At: 16-18 degrees Celsius.
When to Drink: Ready to drink now whilst it retains it’s youthful vibrancy but will drink well over the next 5 – 8 years.
ABV%: 13%
Unfiltered | Unfined | Vegan
Select between a 6 bottle pack or 12 bottle case to Buy the Welkin Grenache by Aphelion 2024.
Sale
-3%
From $350.00
$360.00
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 →
From $42.00
McLaren Vale Grenache from Multiple Remarkable Sites | 95 Points | Limited Release
Aphelion Confluence Grenache Noir 2025 is a $42 McLaren Vale Grenache made predominantly from Blewitt Springs fruit, with a touch of Clarendon, and awarded 95 points by Marcus Ellis for Halliday Wine Companion.
What happens when you bring some of McLaren Vale's most distinctive Grenache sites together?
You get Confluence.
Our original Grenache.
A wine that has been with us from the very beginning.
And if you want to understand why we're so obsessed with Grenache, this is a pretty good place to start.
Meet Confluence Grenache Noir 2025
Confluence is our expression of what happens when different sites, different soils and different expressions of Grenache come together.
The 2025 vintage brings together fruit predominantly from Blewitt Springs, with a touch of Clarendon, creating a McLaren Vale Grenache that is aromatic, complex, structured and remarkably easy to drink.
It's serious enough for dinner.
Relaxed enough for the back deck.
And interesting enough that you'll probably find yourself going back to the glass to see what changed.
That's Confluence.
Why Buy Confluence Grenache 2025?
🍷 McLaren Vale Grenache - $42 a bottle
An approachable way to discover Aphelion's Grenache obsession, available by the bottle or in 6- and 12-bottle quantities.
📍 Blewitt Springs + Clarendon
80% of the fruit is from Brini, and Plaisted's vineyards in Blewitt Springs, and 20% is from Hickinbotham in Clarendon. Two distinctive and prized sub-regions within McLaren Vale. Three of the best growers, vineyards and sites.
🌿 30% Whole Bunch
Whole-bunch fermentation contributes savoury complexity, structure and aromatic lift.
🥇 95 Points
Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion.
✨ Limited Production
Just 1,100 six-packs and 100 Magnums produced.
🌱 Unfiltered | Unfined | Vegan
Made with minimal intervention and bottled without fining or filtration.
What Does Confluence Grenache Taste Like?
Pour it and you'll see the vibrant red colour with purple hues in the glass.
At first, there's a savoury core of olive and briar.
Give it some air.
That's when the fruit starts to emerge.
Crunchy raspberry. Cranberry.
Then the palate opens up into Satsuma plum, wild strawberry and fine sandalwood, carried by fine tannins that give the wine impressive length.
There's real intensity and concentration here, but without heaviness or cloying sweetness.
It's the kind of Grenache that rewards attention without demanding it.
Pour a glass. Give it some air. Come back to it.
You'll probably find something new.
A Confluence of McLaren Vale Sites
Confluence isn't a single-site wine.
That's the point.
It brings together fruit from several remarkable vineyards to create something greater than any one parcel could achieve.
| Origin | Contribution to Confluence |
|---|---|
| Blewitt Springs | 80% of the blend, from Brini family and Plaisted's vineyards |
| Clarendon | 20% of the blend, from the acclaimed Hickinbotham vineyard |
This is one of the reasons we love Grenache.
It can express the personality of a place with remarkable clarity — but it can also show what happens when different places are brought together deliberately.
Confluence is the latter.
How We Made Confluence Grenache 2025
Grenache fruit was hand-picked and a portion of the fruit was fermented as whole bunches.
30% whole bunch fermentation took place in stainless steel and small concrete open-top fermenters.
The wine was then matured in a combination of:
- 1,500L Drunk Turtle cocciopesto
- Seasoned French 2,800L foudre
- Demi-muid oak
The result is a wine with structure and complexity without letting oak dominate the fruit or site character.
Bottled February 2026.
Made for the Table
Confluence is deliberately food friendly.
It's got enough structure to stand up to dinner, enough freshness to keep you reaching for another glass and enough savoury character to make food taste better.
Goes With Food
Pan-seared duck.
The spice and body of the duck are a beautiful match for the wine.
Goes With Cheese
Camembert or a washed-rind cheese.
The mushroom characters in the cheese complement the wine without overwhelming its more delicate structure.
Goes With Music
Nick Cave – Jubilee Street.
It begins with restraint and keeps building - layer upon layer, tension upon tension - much like Confluence as it opens in the glass. What starts savoury and brooding becomes increasingly expressive, before that long, insistent finish refuses to disappear quietly.
Goes With Life
The dinner that wasn’t meant to go this long.
You booked for 7. It’s now pushing 10. The plates have been cleared, nobody’s checking the time, and someone asks the question every good dinner eventually gets to:
“Should we get another bottle?”
Confluence is that bottle.
Interesting enough to keep you coming back to the glass. Easy enough that the conversation never has to stop for it.
Because sometimes the moments worth counting are the ones you didn’t plan.
When Should You Drink Confluence 2025?
Now.
Confluence 2025 is ready to drink, but it has the structure, concentration and tannin to continue evolving through to 2035.
Serve at 18°C.
If you're drinking it tonight, give it some time in the glass.
If you're putting some away, expect the savoury and structural elements to become increasingly integrated with time.
Critic Recognition
95 points - Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion
Confluence has been one of the wines at the heart of Aphelion since the beginning, and the 2025 vintage continues that story with the combination we love: perfume, savouriness, structure, freshness and drinkability.
It's Grenache with enough going on to reward the serious wine drinker, without becoming a wine you have to think about.
Is Confluence the Right McLaren Vale Grenache for You?
Buy Confluence if you want a Grenache that's...
- Aromatic rather than heavy — expressive fruit and savoury complexity without excessive weight.
- Food friendly — structured enough for dinner but fresh enough to keep drinking.
- Complex without being complicated — there are layers here, but you don't need a wine degree to enjoy them.
- Distinctively McLaren Vale — drawing on fruit from some of the vineyards we know and work with closely.
- Built to evolve — ready now, with the structure to develop through 2035.
- A genuine Aphelion original — Confluence has been part of our Grenache story from the very beginning.
Choose Confluence if you want:
a premium McLaren Vale Grenache that's drinking beautifully now; a savoury rather than sweet expression of Grenache; a highly rated Australian red under $50; or an introduction to Aphelion before exploring our Single Site Grenaches.
Looking for something different?
If you'd like to explore how individual vineyards change Grenache, discover our Single Site Grenache Collection. If you're looking for our most cellar-worthy expression, discover Rapture Old Vine Grenache.
Confluence vs Single Site Grenache
Wondering whether you should choose Confluence or one of our Single Site Grenaches?
| Confluence Grenache 2025 | Single Site Grenache | |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Multiple vineyards and sites | One specific block within one vineyard |
| Style | Aromatic, complex, savoury and beautifully drinkable | More site-specific and structurally distinctive |
| Fruit | Blewitt Springs + Clarendon | One defined site |
| Best for | Dinner, entertaining, aperitivo and everyday serious drinking | Exploring terroir and building a cellar |
If you want to explore what McLaren Vale Grenache can do across different sites, Confluence is the place to start.
If you want to go deeper into the difference a particular block can make, explore our Single Site Grenaches next.
Why Confluence Is Worth Buying Direct from Aphelion
You can find Aphelion wines through selected retailers.
But when you buy Confluence directly from us, you're buying from the people who made it.
You're closer to the vineyards.
Closer to the winemaking.
Closer to the stories behind the bottle.
And you're first in line for the wines that never make it as far as retail.
Our Wine Club members also receive early access to new and limited releases, exclusive wines, complimentary tastings and member benefits.
DISCOVER THE APHELION WINE CLUB →
Buy Confluence Grenache Noir 2025 Direct From The Aphelion Family Winery Online
Ready to pour?
Choose a single bottle, 6-bottle pack or 12-bottle case of Aphelion Confluence Grenache Noir 2025.
With only 1,100 six-packs and 100 Magnums produced, this is a limited vintage.
Ready now. Delicious with dinner. Built to evolve.
Psst... Like the sound of exclusive wines, early access and free shipping? Our Wine Club members receive exclusive access to new and limited releases, complimentary tastings and member benefits.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions About Confluence Grenache 2025
What is Confluence Grenache 2025?
Confluence Grenache Noir 2025 is Aphelion's original Grenache, made from fruit grown across distinctive McLaren Vale sites in Blewitt Springs and Clarendon. It is complex, aromatic, savoury and food friendly, with fine tannins, good structure and a long finish.
What does Confluence Grenache 2025 taste like?
Confluence 2025 shows a savoury core of olive and briar, followed by crunchy raspberry and cranberry. The palate brings Satsuma plum, wild strawberry and fine sandalwood, with fine tannins providing excellent length.
Is Confluence Grenache a McLaren Vale wine?
Yes. Confluence Grenache 2025 is made from Grenache grown in McLaren Vale, with 80% of the blend from Blewitt Springs and 20% from Clarendon.
Where does Confluence Grenache 2025 come from?
The 2025 Confluence is made from 80% Blewitt Springs fruit from the Brini and Plaisted's family vineyards, plus 20% Clarendon fruit from the Hickinbotham vineyard.
Is Confluence Grenache 2025 a good Australian Grenache under $50?
Yes. At $42 a bottle, Confluence Grenache Noir 2025 is a premium McLaren Vale Grenache made from fruit grown in Blewitt Springs and Clarendon. It received 95 points from Marcus Ellis for Halliday Wine Companion and is designed to be delicious now while having the structure to cellar through to 2035.
What does “Confluence” mean in wine?
Confluence refers to the bringing together of different sources or influences. For Aphelion Confluence, it describes the deliberate combination of Grenache from different McLaren Vale vineyards and sites to create one complete wine.
Is Confluence a Single Site Grenache?
No. Confluence is deliberately made from multiple sites. Our Single Site Grenaches come from one specific block within a vineyard, while Confluence brings together different sites to create a broader expression of McLaren Vale Grenache.
Is Confluence Grenache 2025 a full-bodied red wine?
Confluence has real intensity, concentration and structure, but it is not heavy or cloying. Its freshness, fine tannins and savoury character make it a versatile and food-friendly McLaren Vale red wine.
Is Confluence Grenache suitable for food pairing?
Yes. Confluence is particularly food friendly and pairs beautifully with dishes such as pan-seared duck, roast meats, mushrooms and savoury Mediterranean-style dishes. It also works with Camembert and washed-rind cheeses.
Should I decant Confluence Grenache 2025?
It is not essential, but giving Confluence some air will allow its savoury, fruit and spice characters to unfold. Pouring it into a glass and returning to it over 20–30 minutes is an easy way to experience how the wine evolves.
How long can I cellar Confluence Grenache 2025?
Confluence 2025 is ready to drink now but has the structure, concentration and tannin to continue evolving through to 2035.
What percentage of Confluence 2025 is whole bunch?
30% of the fruit was fermented as whole bunches in stainless steel and small concrete open-top fermenters.
How was Confluence Grenache 2025 matured?
The wine was matured in a combination of 1,500L Drunk Turtle cocciopesto, seasoned French 2,800L foudre and demi-muid oak. It was bottled in February 2026.
Is Confluence Grenache 2025 vegan?
Yes. Confluence 2025 is unfiltered, unfined and vegan.
How much Confluence Grenache 2025 was produced?
Aphelion produced 1,100 six-packs and 100 Magnums of Confluence Grenache Noir 2025.
What is the alcohol percentage of Confluence Grenache 2025?
Confluence Grenache Noir 2025 has an alcohol content of 14.0% ABV.
What temperature should I serve Confluence Grenache 2025?
Serve Confluence Grenache 2025 at approximately 18°C.
Has Confluence Grenache 2025 received any critic reviews?
Yes. Confluence Grenache Noir 2025 received 95 points from Marcus Ellis for Halliday Wine Companion.
About Aphelion Wine Co.
Aphelion is a small, family-owned winery in McLaren Vale, South Australia, specialising in Grenache.
We work closely with growers and make wines from remarkable vineyards and specific sites across McLaren Vale.
Our wines are made to express place, season and the character of Grenache — and, most importantly, to be opened and enjoyed with good food and good people.
Aphelion began with Grenache.
Our focus is Grenache.
And our future is Grenache.
From $42.00
Aphelion Callow Grenache Blanc 2025
McLaren Vale Grenache Blanc | Organic Single Vineyard | Limited Release
Aphelion Callow Grenache Blanc 2025 is a vibrant, textural and spice-laced expression of Grenache Blanc from a certified Organic and Biodynamic vineyard near Kangarilla in McLaren Vale.
Hand-picked and whole bunch pressed, this wine balances purity and freshness with subtle oak complexity. Bright acidity and layered texture make it both immediately compelling and capable of medium-term cellaring.
Only 250 six-packs produced.
Tasting Notes
Intense and vibrant fruit aromatics mingle with citrus and spice. A fine textural edge gives the wine a distinctly food-friendly feel. Cinnamon and nutmeg spice complement nashi pear and stone fruit flavours, finishing long and precise with refreshing acidity.
- Variety: Grenache Blanc
- Region: McLaren Vale (Kangarilla)
- Vineyard: Certified Organic & Biodynamic Yangarra Vineyard
- ABV: 13.2%
- Closure: Screwcap
- Vegan Friendly
- Serve: 8–10°C
- Cellaring: Drink now or cellar 5–8 years
Winemaking
Hand-picked fruit was whole bunch pressed. 60% was fermented in stainless steel to retain freshness and varietal purity, with the balance fermented in one new Austrian oak hogshead and seasoned French oak barriques.
A slow, cool ferment preserved aromatics. The wine remained on full lees with regular battonage until bottling in December 2025, building texture and complexity while maintaining precision.
Goes With
Goes With Food: Bouillabaisse — the body and spice of the wine mirror the dish beautifully.
Goes With Cheese: Comté — structured yet not overpowering, allowing the spice characters to shine.
Goes With Music: Muse – Stockholm Syndrome.
Goes With Life: Textural and aromatic, perfect as the first glass of the evening or paired with the feature dish of the night.
Why Buy Callow Grenache Blanc 2025?
- Rare McLaren Vale Grenache Blanc
- Certified Organic & Biodynamic vineyard source
- Textural, spice-driven white wine
- Cellar-worthy for 5–8 years
- Limited production — only 250 six-packs
This is a wine for lovers of Rhône-style whites, Chenin Blanc drinkers looking for something textural, and collectors of small-batch McLaren Vale releases.
Buy Callow Grenache Blanc 2025 Online
Select between a 6 bottle pack or 12 bottle case to Buy the Callow Grenache Blanc by Aphelion 2025.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Grenache Blanc taste like?
Grenache Blanc typically shows citrus, pear and stone fruit with spice and texture. The Callow Grenache Blanc 2025 highlights nashi pear, cinnamon and nutmeg with vibrant acidity.
Is this a dry white wine?
Yes. Callow Grenache Blanc 2025 is dry, textural and balanced with fresh acidity.
Can I cellar Grenache Blanc?
Yes. Thanks to vibrant acidity and lees maturation, this wine will cellar well for 5–8 years.
Is this wine organic?
The fruit is sourced from a certified Organic and Biodynamic vineyard in McLaren Vale.
What food pairs best with Grenache Blanc?
Bouillabaisse, seafood stews, roast chicken, and alpine cheeses like Comté pair beautifully with this style.
From $90.00
1947 Old Vine Blewitt Springs Grenache 2025 | 96 Points | Only 1,200 Bottles
PLAISTED'S VINEYARD · BLEWITT SANDS · BLEWITT SPRINGS · McLAREN VALE
Almost 80-year-old vines. Extraordinary concentration. An epic new chapter for Aphelion Grenache.
Aphelion Plaisted's Single Site Grenache Noir 2025 is a premium, old-vine McLaren Vale Grenache from a remarkable vineyard planted in 1947 in the Blewitt Sands district of Blewitt Springs, South Australia.
New to the Aphelion Single Site range in 2025, Plaisted's is our most concentrated and full-bodied Grenache of the vintage. Deeply perfumed, richly textured and beautifully structured, it brings together layers of blueberry, raspberry and dark cherry with violet, cedar, sweet spice and orange zest.
Its defining character is power held in perfect balance. Concentrated fruit, powerful but finely structured tannins and fresh natural acidity combine in an exceptionally long, savoury finish.
Rob believes 2025 is the finest Grenache vintage we've ever made at Aphelion. Plaisted's is an exciting new expression of what makes McLaren Vale Grenache so extraordinary.
"Magnificent grenache. So perfumed, so sure, so firm and yet so well extended."
"It's an epic release from Aphelion."
96 points - Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front
Why Choose Plaisted's Single Site Grenache 2025?
96 Points - The Wine Front
Campbell Mattinson describes this debut wine as magnificent Grenache and an epic release, praising its extraordinary perfume, layered fruit and beautifully controlled finish.
Old Vines - Planted in 1947
Sourced exclusively from the middle section of the Hatwell family's Plaisted's vineyard in Blewitt Sands, where old Grenache vines grow in deep sandy soils.
The Most Concentrated Wine in the Range
Our fullest-bodied 2025 Single Site Grenache, with dark fruit, powerful yet finely structured tannins and remarkable intensity.
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 inaugural Single Site release, with just 50 Magnums produced separately.
A Wine Worth Waiting For
Tightly wound and richly layered, with the structure, concentration and freshness to continue evolving through 2038.
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.
Meet Plaisted's Single Site Grenache 2025
Some vineyards are worth waiting almost 80 years to discover.
In the Blewitt Sands district of McLaren Vale, the Hatwell family tends a remarkable parcel of Grenache vines planted in 1947.
For nearly eight decades, these vines have been quietly doing what great old vines do. Sending their roots deep into the sandy earth, weathering the seasons and producing fruit that carries the unmistakable character of its place.
In 2025, Rob chose a small parcel from the middle section of the vineyard to create something new for Aphelion.
Our fourth Single Site Grenache.
And what an introduction.
The vines grow in deep sandy soils, producing berries with particularly thick skins. The resulting wine is deeply coloured, richly concentrated and beautifully structured.
It's the most powerful and full-bodied Grenache in our 2025 Single Site collection, but there's nothing heavy-handed about it.
Instead, it has a captivating perfume of violets, blueberries and raspberries, with cedar, sweet spice and orange zest adding layer upon layer of intrigue.
Then come the tannins. Firm, persistent and remarkably controlled, carrying the wine across the palate with extraordinary length.
For Campbell Mattinson, writing in The Wine Front, this is Grenache of exceptional quality. He describes the wine as magnificent, praising its perfume, assurance and remarkable length.
And yet, for all its generosity, Plaisted's is keeping some of its best secrets for later.
It's tightly wound today, with the concentration and structure to reveal even greater complexity over the years ahead.
A remarkable debut. A vineyard with almost 80 years of history. And a wine whose most exciting chapters may still be ahead of it.
What Does Plaisted's Grenache 2025 Taste Like?
Deeply coloured, richly concentrated and wonderfully perfumed.
Layers of blueberry, raspberry and dark cherry rise from the glass, lifted by violet, cedar, sweet spice and a delicate hint of orange zest.
The palate is full-bodied and richly textured, with generous dark fruit framed by powerful yet finely structured tannins.
Fresh natural acidity brings energy and definition, ensuring the wine's remarkable concentration never overwhelms its sense of balance.
Look a little closer and you'll find mint, savoury herbs and subtle earthy notes woven through the fruit.
The finish is exceptionally long, savoury and beautifully controlled.
This is a Grenache that reveals itself slowly. Give it air, return to the glass and discover how its layers unfold.
Extraordinary perfume. Velvety concentration. Power, precision and a finish that seems to go on forever.
Made for the Table
Goes With Food
Slow-roasted lamb shoulder. Crispy potatoes. A generous helping of good company.
There are few things more satisfying than carrying a beautiful slow-roasted lamb shoulder to the table, knowing it's been cooking for hours and will fall apart with the gentlest nudge of a fork.
Make it a proper feast. Golden potatoes with crunchy edges, a big bowl of something green, and plenty of those delicious cooking juices.
Open the Plaisted's while the lamb rests. Give it a generous decant, sneak a taste, and let its remarkable perfume of blueberries, violets and sweet spice fill the glass.
When everyone finally sits down, you'll discover why this pairing works so beautifully. The richness of the lamb meets Plaisted's powerful, finely structured tannins, while its concentrated fruit and fresh acidity bring the whole plate to life.
For a vegetarian feast? Make a golden mushroom and thyme tart with caramelised onions and Gruyère. Serve with a sharply dressed green salad. The earthy mushrooms and buttery pastry are wonderful with Plaisted's dark fruit and savoury depth.
Either way, this is a wine that deserves the good plates, the big serving dishes and a second helping.
Goes With Cheese
Clothbound cheddar. Quince paste. A little something spectacular after dinner.
When the main course is finished and everyone insists they couldn't possibly eat another thing, bring out a generous wedge of aged clothbound cheddar.
The proper stuff. Crumbly, deeply savoury, with those wonderful nutty flavours that come from patient ageing.
Add a little quince paste, a handful of toasted walnuts and some crisp crackers. Nothing complicated, just a few excellent things that belong together.
Now pour the Plaisted's.
The cheddar's savoury richness is a delicious counterpoint to the wine's concentrated blueberry and dark cherry fruit. The quince brings a little sweetness, the walnuts echo its earthy complexity, and those beautifully structured tannins keep everything in balance.
Try the cheese first, then a sip of wine. Then add a little quince and try again.
It's a tiny tasting adventure, and a lovely excuse to discover how one remarkable wine can show so many different sides of itself.
Someone will almost certainly ask for another slice.
Goes With Music
Fleetwood Mac - The Chain.
It's late afternoon. The last of the cheese is disappearing, someone has taken charge of the music, and those opening guitar notes of The Chain drift across the room.
A few heads start nodding. Someone knows every word. And when that unmistakable bassline kicks in towards the end, there's absolutely no chance anyone's going home just yet.
Plaisted's has that same wonderful sense of anticipation.
It begins with an irresistible perfume of blueberries, raspberries and violets. Then the layers build. Dark cherry, cedar, sweet spice, a little orange zest. Beneath it all, powerful, beautifully woven tannins hold everything together.
And just when you think you've discovered everything it has to offer, there's that extraordinary finish. Long, confident and impossible to ignore.
Like The Chain, this is a wine with plenty of moving parts, but somehow they come together to create something magnificent.
Turn it up. Pour another glass. Some things are worth experiencing all the way to the end.
Goes With Life
For the milestones worth celebrating. And the ones still waiting to happen.
Think about the next occasion you'll really want to remember.
A significant birthday. An anniversary. A long-awaited reunion. Perhaps the day someone finally gets the keys to their first home, or announces something wonderful over dinner.
Now imagine opening a bottle from Grenache vines planted in 1947, a wine that's been quietly waiting for its moment.
There's a little ceremony to it. Retrieving the bottle, carefully decanting it, pouring the first glass and watching everyone's reaction as those extraordinary aromatics emerge.
And there's something lovely about knowing this is the very first vintage of Plaisted's Single Site Grenache we've ever made.
Of course, you don't have to wait for a milestone. Sometimes the best reason to open a remarkable bottle is that you've gathered your favourite people together and the evening feels worth celebrating.
But if you do put one away, perhaps write a date on the box. Give it a few years. Imagine the pleasure of opening it when that special day finally arrives.
Some bottles celebrate the moment. Others become part of the story.
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:
- Plaisted's - Blewitt Springs: The most concentrated and full-bodied of the four. Perfumed, powerful and richly layered, from vines planted in 1947. 96 Wine Front.
- Wait - Blewitt Springs: Old-vine Grenache with extraordinary savoury depth, power and structure. A Wine of the Year contender according to Campbell Mattinson. 97 Halliday · 96+ Wine Front.
- Hickinbotham - Clarendon: High-elevation Grenache with savoury precision, vibrant red fruit, crystalline acidity and intricate tannins. 96 Halliday · 96 Wine Front.
- Brini - Blewitt Springs: An elegant, aromatic expression with dark fruit, floral lift and mineral tension. 96 Halliday · 95+ Wine Front.
Four vineyards. One extraordinary vintage. Four very different personalities.
All four are tightly wound, structured wines that reward curiosity, generous air and time.
Open them together for a memorable Grenache tasting with friends. Or cellar them and follow how each vineyard develops over the years ahead.
Which one will become your favourite?
EXPLORE THE 2025 SINGLE SITE GRENACHE COLLECTION →
Buy Direct from the Aphelion Family Winery
When you buy Plaisted's Single Site Grenache direct from Aphelion, you're supporting the small family winery that discovered the potential of this remarkable old-vine vineyard and brought its first Single Site release to life.
You're buying from the people who know the growers, 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 Plaisted's Single Site Grenache 2025
The Vineyard +
Plaisted's Single Site Grenache Noir 2025 comes from the middle section of the Plaisted's vineyard, owned by the Hatwell family, in the Blewitt Sands district of Blewitt Springs, McLaren Vale, South Australia.
The Grenache vines were planted in 1947 and grow in deep sandy soils.
This remarkable old-vine block produces fruit with particularly thick skins, contributing to the wine's deep colour, concentrated flavour and powerful tannin structure.
For the inaugural 2025 release, Rob selected fruit specifically from the middle section of the vineyard to capture its distinctive character.
The result is the most concentrated and full-bodied Grenache in our 2025 Single Site range, with dark fruit, exceptional perfume and remarkable length.
It's a beautiful demonstration of how old vines, deep sandy soils and the character of an individual vineyard can produce a wine unlike any other.
How We Made It +
Variety: 100% Grenache Noir
Region: Blewitt Sands, Blewitt Springs, McLaren Vale, South Australia
Vineyard: Plaisted's vineyard, middle section, owned by the Hatwell family
Vine age: Planted in 1947
Harvest: Hand-picked on 16 February 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: 14.5% ABV
Production: 1,200 standard bottles and 50 Magnums
Closure: Screwcap
Winemaking: Unfiltered, unfined and vegan
Our approach to the Single Site Grenache wines is deliberately consistent, allowing the character of each vineyard to take centre stage.
Whole-bunch fermentation contributes aromatic and savoury complexity, while maturation in neutral oak allows the concentrated fruit, powerful tannins and distinctive expression of the Plaisted's vineyard to remain at the forefront.
Serving and Cellaring +
Serving temperature: 16-18°C
Drinking window: Enjoy now, with continued evolution through 2038.
Give Plaisted's the time it deserves.
This is a particularly concentrated and tightly structured Grenache, with powerful tannins, fresh acidity and exceptional length.
If drinking young, we recommend decanting generously and allowing the wine plenty of time to open.
Its rich blueberry, raspberry and dark cherry fruit becomes increasingly expressive with air, while layers of violet, cedar, spice and savoury complexity gradually emerge.
Marcus Ellis noted that this was the most reticent of the four 2025 Single Site wines and found it showing at its best on day five after opening.
For collectors, the wine's concentration, firm tannins and natural acidity provide an excellent foundation for long-term cellaring.
Stored correctly, Plaisted's 2025 should continue to develop additional complexity through 2038.
Critic Recognition - 2025 Vintage +
96 points - Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front
"Magnificent grenache. So perfumed, so sure, so firm and yet so well extended."
Mattinson praises the wine's velvety layers of blueberry, raspberry, violet and cedar, with sweet spice, mint, ozone and orange adding further complexity.
He highlights the remarkable control and persistence of the finish, describing the wine as an epic release from Aphelion.
Published: 26 August 2026.
94+ points - Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion
Ellis describes a tightly wound, deeply structured wine with savoury complexity, firm tannins and a long future ahead of it. He notes that Plaisted's needs more time than its Single Site siblings to reveal its full character, and expects its quality to become increasingly apparent with age.
Published: 3 September 2026.
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 Plaisted's Single Site Grenache 2025
Is Plaisted's Single Site Grenache a new wine from Aphelion?
Yes. The 2025 vintage is the inaugural release of Plaisted's Single Site Grenache Noir. It joins Brini, Wait and Hickinbotham as the fourth wine in Aphelion's premium Single Site Grenache range. The wine comes from Grenache vines planted in 1947 in the Blewitt Sands district of McLaren Vale.
Is Plaisted's Grenache 2025 suitable for a special gift?
Yes. Plaisted's 2025 is a limited-production, critically acclaimed old-vine Grenache with excellent cellaring potential through 2038. Its inaugural vintage makes it a particularly thoughtful gift for a wine lover, a milestone birthday or an anniversary, especially for someone who enjoys collecting and discovering exceptional Australian Grenache.
Is Plaisted's Single Site Grenache 2025 vegan?
Yes. Plaisted's Single Site Grenache Noir 2025 is unfiltered, unfined and vegan. It is made from 100% Grenache and fermented entirely as whole bunches.
Can I buy Plaisted's Grenache directly from the winery?
Yes. You can buy Plaisted's 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 provides access to Aphelion's Grenache range, 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.
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.
From $150.00
Clarendon Old Vine Grenache | Two 97-Point Scores | Halliday Top 100 | Only 92 Dozen Bottles
HICKINBOTHAM VINEYARD · BLOCK 301 · CLARENDON · McLAREN VALE
Aphelion Rapture Old Vine Grenache Noir 2024 is our pinnacle McLaren Vale Grenache, made from 100% Grenache grown in one 0.9-hectare block of dry-grown bush vines planted in 1962.
Brooding fruit, herbal spice and cherry-pip flavours, with savoury depth, confident tannins and exceptional length. Matured in a cocciopesto amphora, with just 1,100 bottles produced.
97 points · Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion
97 points · Erin Larkin, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
Halliday Top 100 Wines 2026 · Red Wines $50 and Over
Shortlisted for Halliday Wine Companion 2027 Grenache of the Year ♥
“I was blown away. This wine is seriously good”
Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front · 96 points
Meet Rapture Old Vine Grenache Noir 2024
Some bottles are worth making a little time for.
A dinner you’ve been looking forward to. A birthday worth gathering everyone for. Or a quiet evening when you finally open the bottle you’ve been saving.
Rapture is our pinnacle Grenache, made only in years when we have fruit of the quality it requires. Rob’s job is to bring out what makes this small Clarendon block remarkable.
Old vines. A particular hillside. A wine with plenty to say.
And the best place to discover it is around your own table.
Why Buy Rapture Old Vine Grenache 2024?
📍 One Block · Clarendon · Vines Planted in 1962
From Hickinbotham Block 301: 0.9 hectares of dry-grown Grenache bush vines. A precise origin gives you a place to picture and a story to share.
🥇 97 + 97 Points
Marcus Ellis for Halliday Wine Companion and Erin Larkin for Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate. Two independent reference points when you’re choosing a special bottle.
🏆 Halliday Top 100 Wines 2026
Selected among the Halliday Tasting Team’s 20 best Australian red wines over $50. Also shortlisted for Halliday Wine Companion 2027 Grenache of the Year.
🍇 20% Whole Bunch · Cocciopesto Maturation
Whole clusters contribute to the wine’s structure and savoury detail. Maturation in a Drunk Turtle cocciopesto vessel keeps the focus on the fruit and its natural tannins.
✨ Only 1,100 Bottles
A small release from one block and one harvest, with the structure to continue evolving through to 2040.
🌿 Unfiltered · Unfined · Vegan
Bottled in February 2025 under DIAM Origine cork.
🍷 $150 per bottle
For drinkers who love exploring a wine slowly, choosing a thoughtful gift or putting something special away. Select 1, 3, 6 or 12 bottles above.
What Does Rapture Grenache 2024 Taste Like?
Pour it and you’ll see a vibrant purple hue.
The aromas are brooding but fleshy, with herbal spice. Cherry-pip flavours wash across the mid-palate, carried by tannins that are prominent without dominating.
Then comes that long, savoury finish. The kind that has you pausing before the next mouthful.
There’s depth and structure here, with plenty to explore over a meal. Bottle age will reveal more.
Take your time with it. That’s part of the pleasure.
One Small Hillside. More Than Six Decades of History.
Great wine begins with the people who care for the vineyard, long before the fruit reaches Rob’s hands.
Rapture 2024 comes from Hickinbotham Block 301 in Clarendon, where dry-grown Grenache bush vines have grown since 1962.
It is a gently north-facing slope, 225–230 metres above sea level, with brown clay loam over weathered and broken siltstone.
Just 0.9 hectares. Small enough to have a very particular identity.
We believe great Grenache should taste of its vineyard. Every decision, from hand-picking to maturation in cocciopesto, serves that intention.
When you open Rapture, this is the place you’re discovering.
Made for the Table
Goes With Food
Roasted lamb shoulder, mash and jus.
You’ve waited all afternoon for that lamb. Give it a wine worth waiting for. Rapture’s tannins balance the richness, and its savoury flavours love those browned edges. Don’t be shy with the jus.
Goes With Cheese
Aged gouda with fruit crackers.
Dinner’s finished. Nobody’s leaving. Nutty aged gouda brings out Rapture’s savoury side, while the fruit crackers play beautifully with its cherry flavours. Stay a little longer.
Goes With Music
“Valerie” by Amy Winehouse.
Soulful, full of character and a little cheeky. A good match for a Grenache with this much personality. Turn it up. Kitchen dancing encouraged.
Goes With Life
A milestone moment. Or to make an everyday moment unforgettable.
The anniversary dinner you’re cooking at home. A birthday with your favourite people. Sunday lunch, when nobody has anywhere else to be.
Open something you’ve been looking forward to. Put it in the middle of the table. There’s your occasion.
Make moments count.
Rapture or Brini?
| Your choice | Rapture Old Vine 2024 | Brini Single Site 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Hickinbotham Block 301, Clarendon | Upper tank block, Brini vineyard, Blewitt Springs |
| Style | Brooding fruit, herbal spice, cherry-pip flavours and a persistent savoury finish | Elegant and aromatic, with earth, spice and sinewy tannins |
| Whole bunch | 20% | 100% |
| Maturation | 1,500L Drunk Turtle cocciopesto vessel | Neutral old French oak puncheons |
| Price | $150 per bottle | $90 per bottle |
| Choose it for | Discovering Aphelion’s pinnacle Grenache, a milestone or a bottle to follow through to 2040 | Exploring Blewitt Springs and the savoury complexity of 100% whole-bunch Grenache |
Two particular sites. Two different expressions. Choose the story and style that interest you most.
Buy Rapture Direct from the Aphelion Family Winery
Buying direct brings you closer to the people who made your wine.
Ask us when to open it, what to cook or whether it suits the person you’re buying for. You get personal guidance from our team and a clear connection to the vineyard, grower and winemaking behind your bottle.
Your purchase also supports our small family winery’s work with remarkable vineyards and passionate growers. Every bottle is a vote for the kind of wine industry you want to see.
Choose 1, 3, 6 or 12 bottles above and add Rapture 2024 to your cart. One for a special meal, or several to see how it changes over time. You can buy direct without joining the Wine Club.
Aphelion Bottled Sunshine Wine Club members receive $135 member pricing and free shipping with their member benefits, plus access to pre-release and rare museum wines. Membership is an ongoing subscription with a minimum commitment of one year and 12 bottles.
DISCOVER THE APHELION WINE CLUB →
More About Rapture Old Vine Grenache 2024
The Vineyard +
Hickinbotham Block 301 · Clarendon · McLaren Vale · South Australia.
A 0.9-hectare plot of dry-grown Grenache bush vines planted in 1962. Brown clay loam with weathered and broken siltstone, at 225–230 metres above sea level on a gently north-facing slope.
How We Made It +
Hand-picked on 21 March 2024. The fruit was destemmed, with 20% retained as whole clusters. After a cool, 14-day fermentation, the wine was pressed to a 1,500-litre Drunk Turtle cocciopesto vessel for maturation.
Cocciopesto is a mixture of crushed ceramics and natural aggregates. It allows maturation without adding an oak-flavour layer.
Racked and bottled in February 2025.
100% Grenache · 13.9% ABV · DIAM Origine cork · Unfiltered · Unfined · Vegan
Critic Recognition +
2024 Vintage
97 points, Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion
Shortlisted for Halliday Wine Companion 2027 Grenache of the Year
Halliday Top 100 Wines 2026, Red Wines $50 and Over
97 points, Erin Larkin, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
96 points, David Sly, Decanter
96 points, Huon Hooke, The Real Review
96 points, Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front
“detail, confident ease, depth and transparency”
“Yes, yes, yes!”
Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion.
See the Accolades tab for recognition across earlier vintages.
Pairings + Cellaring +
Serve at 16–18°C. Enjoy with roasted lamb shoulder, mash and jus, or aged gouda with fruit crackers.
Rapture is structured and will blossom with bottle age. Enjoy it young if you appreciate that tannin and savoury depth, or cellar it in cool, stable conditions to follow its development through to 2040.
Choosing a bottle for a future occasion? Ask our team for guidance.
Shipping +
Check the Shipping tab for current delivery charges and estimated delivery times. Eligible Wine Club members receive free shipping with their member benefits.
If you need Rapture for a particular occasion, contact us before ordering so we can help with timing.
Questions About Rapture Old Vine Grenache 2024
What is Rapture Old Vine Grenache Noir 2024?
Aphelion Rapture Old Vine Grenache Noir 2024 is a 100% Grenache from Hickinbotham Block 301 in Clarendon, McLaren Vale, South Australia. It is Aphelion’s pinnacle Grenache, made only in years when the required quality of fruit is available.
What makes Rapture 2024 a limited release?
Only 1,100 bottles were produced from a 0.9-hectare plot of dry-grown Grenache bush vines planted in 1962. Check the product selector for current availability.
Which scores and accolades has Rapture 2024 received?
Rapture 2024 received 97 points from Marcus Ellis for Halliday Wine Companion and 97 points from Erin Larkin for Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate. It was shortlisted for Halliday Wine Companion 2027 Grenache of the Year and selected for the 2026 Halliday Top 100 Wines, Red Wines $50 and Over category. It also received 96 points each from David Sly for Decanter, Huon Hooke for The Real Review and Campbell Mattinson for The Wine Front.
Should I drink Rapture 2024 now or cellar it?
Enjoy it young if you appreciate savoury, structured Grenache, or cellar it to follow its development. Rapture 2024 will blossom with bottle age and is built to continue evolving through to 2040. Store it in cool, stable conditions and serve at 16–18°C.
What should I serve with Rapture 2024?
Our recommended food pairing is roasted lamb shoulder with mash and jus. For cheese, choose aged gouda with fruit crackers. Rapture suits milestone dinners, thoughtful gifts and unhurried meals with friends.
Is Rapture 2024 vegan, and how is it matured?
Yes. Rapture 2024 is vegan, unfined and unfiltered. It was fermented with 20% whole clusters for 14 days, then matured in a 1,500-litre Drunk Turtle cocciopesto vessel and bottled in February 2025.
Can I buy one bottle, and do I need to join the Wine Club?
Yes, you can buy one bottle without joining the Wine Club. Select 1, 3, 6 or 12 bottles above. Rapture 2024 is A$150 per bottle, with A$135 member pricing and free shipping for eligible Sun Lovers Wine Club members using their member benefits. Membership is an ongoing subscription with a minimum commitment of one year and 12 bottles.
Why buy Rapture 2024 direct from Aphelion?
Buying direct connects you with the family winery that makes the wine. Ask our team for personal guidance on serving, cellaring or gifting, order from the producer and support our work with remarkable vineyards and passionate growers.
About Aphelion Wine Co.
Aphelion is a small, family-owned winery in McLaren Vale, South Australia, with a particular obsession with Grenache.
Founded by Louise Rhodes Mack and Rob Mack, we work closely with growers and make small batches from remarkable vineyards, bringing their stories to your table.
Aphelion began with Grenache. Our focus is Grenache. And our future is Grenache.
