Description Richard Hamilton Wines are reflective of the distinctive McLaren Vale region with its Mediterranean climate producing great value, fruit driven wines. Lot 148 commemorates the first allotment of land that the Hamilton ancestors acquired when first arriving in South Australia in 1837. Today Lot 148 Merlot has become an excellent example of the variety from McLaren Vale. It's rich, chocolatey and velvety on a long, smooth finish.
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.