Location and Climate
Magill is a suburb of Adelaide in South Australia. The place is situated at the foot of the Adelaide Hills, about 7.5 kilometres east of Adelaide’s central business district. The Magill Estate property has a warm, dry climate, softened by sea breezes.
Vine Growing at the Magill Estate
The historic vineyard was laid out in 1844 on gently sloping land falling to the north-west. Due to urban development, the original 120-hectare estate was reduced to 5.24 hectares around Grange Cottage and the Cellar Door. The remaining vines are cultivated without irrigation, are rooted in their own stock, and are pruned and harvested by hand. Today’s vineyard is entirely planted with Shiraz.
Penfolds History
Dr Christopher and Mary Penfold founded Penfolds in 1844 at the Magill Estate. In the 1950s, Magill became a centre for oenological experiments; grapes from the Grange Vineyard went into Max Schubert’s early bottlings of Grange. The Penfolds Cottage as well as the winery preparation and vineyard complex have been listed in South Australia as a State Heritage Place since 25 July 1985.
Wines and Cellar Work
Magill Estate Shiraz has been produced as a single-vineyard wine since 1983. The grapes are crushed at the original Magill Estate Winery site, fermented and matured; the documented method includes open fermentation vessels, basket pressing, as well as maturation in French and American oak. Penfolds describes the wine as elegant, medium-bodied, velvety and with fine tannins. Grange is made mostly from fully ripe Shiraz grapes, partly fermented in barrel and matured for 18 to 20 months in American oak. In selected vintages, Magill Vineyard fruit contributes to Grange.
