Aphelion Wine

A decade after meeting on the P&O Pacific Princess, Rob and Louise Mack launched their McLaren Vale label Aphelion, from a single tonne of Blewitt Springs grenache. Since that first vintage in ’14, the rise has been meteoric, aided by a slew of well-deserved awards and recognition for wines that punch well above their weight. Grenache is still the star, and chenin blanc the supporting act, with regular cameos from mourvèdre, shiraz, nero d’Avola, grenache blanc and now falanghina. Fruit is sourced (almost) exclusively from McLaren Vale, from some of the region’s most renowned sites and growers, the goal always to – as the name, Aphelion, indicates – capture sun, season and fruit across the entire range, from the entry-level Welkin wines to the premium single-site bottlings. -JAMES HALLIDAY