Description Of Italian extraction (and proud of it) the Curtis family has been growing grapes and making wine in McLaren Vale since 1973, having come to Australia in 1953. The surname is believed to derive from Curtius, a noble and wealthy Roman Empire family (hence the Roman helmet depicted on its labels). Ther Cavaliere range is a tribute to Luigi Curtis who won the prestigious Cavaliere Medaglia d’Oro award for military service in World War I. “This is gorgeously perfumed on the nose with blackberry, potpourri, cocoa and roasted hazelnut aromas, leading to an opulent palate that's packed with succulent fruit flavours and spicy nuances. Plump and weighty with a sustained plush finish.95pts” (Sam Kim Wine Obit). “…plenty of power and concentration with firm tannins and excellent length.” “A very fine McLaren Vale Shiraz from a superb vintage” (winepilot). Scores of 95pts and 94pts among others back this up.
With nearly 200 years of winemaking history, McLaren Vale is one of Australia’s oldest wine regions and today home to 177 wineries. Protected by mountains and the sea, the McLaren Vale wine region is a veritable smorgasbord of wine styles and just a short 45-minute road-trip from Adelaide to McLaren Vale. McLaren Vale is actually the first place in South Australia where vines were planted. Multi-generational wineries are commonplace here. Vineyards stretch from the Mount Lofty Ranges way out to the sea. "McLaren Vale has many secrets waiting to be discovered, from the folds of its ever-changing landscape, to its small restaurants and cellar doors and the spectacular d’Arenberg Cube." – James Halliday. There is a wealth of experimental winemakers here, with winemakers constantly pushing the boundaries and setting new benchmarks. Having said that, McLaren Vale is renowned for Rhone red varieties such as Shiraz and Grenache. Another hotbed for delicious wine is Fleurieu surrounded by beautiful beaches and temperate weather.
McLaren Vale is demarcated by its various elevations and soils into several distinctive sub-regions. They include Blewitt Springs, where the wines “have a unique structure, texture, flavour and style, elegant yet highly aromatic and effortlessly flavoured” - James Halliday. Other sub-regions include Willunga, Sellicks, Seaview and McLaren Flat. “Grenache is McLaren Vale’s secret weapon – not merely Australia’s best, but every bit as good as that of the Rhône Valley.” – James Halliday.