The grape variety is the same, the year is the same and the production method is the same. And yet three different wines. Right in centre of the village of McLaren Vale, the heart of the wine region, you can find the Cellar Door of Tintara. The wine company was taken over by the young Thomas Hardy in 1876, whose name has since grown to immense proportions. In 1895 Hardys was with a production of 1.5 million liters, already the largest wine producer of Australia.

Meanwhile, the historic family business is now part of Constellation Wines, the world's largest wine giant, but still under the name Tintara. They still produce very good wines. Winemaker Paul Carpenter was at the award ceremony of the 2009 of the McLaren Vale Wine Show, a big event for the region. He came four times on stage to receive an award for his wines and moreover he was voted "Bushing King", or Winemaker of the Year of McLaren Vale.

At the spacious, sleek furnished cellar door, you can taste beside of the award-winning wines, three Single Vineyard Shirazes from 2004. So three different wines from nearby vineyards which are just so different in taste. The vineyards have simply their own age, soil and location. The Blewitt Springs (40 years old vines) has some licorice and raisins in the flavor and firm fruit in the taste, while the McLaren Flat (45 years old vines) smells more eucalyptus and seems somewhat spicier.

It is difficult to choose my favorite from these three fine wines, but it is for me anyway the Upper Tintara that evokes associations with cherry, blackberry and manure and very soft tannins with strong aftertaste. The vines are 105 years old! The young plants, Thomas Hardy (1830 - 1912) must have seen them grow himself.

Opening hours
Seven days a week (except Christmas, New Year and Good Friday) from 10.00 to 16.30 pm.

This article was created in November 2009 by journalist Remke de Lange. For more wine articles: www.remkedelange.nl. This article is copyrighted