Woodvale Vintners / Kevin Mitchell today is guided by generations of local horticultural and viticultural knowledge on both his father’s and mother’s side, and assisted in particular by his father Mort Mitchell. Kevin’s philosophy is to keep things small and discrete, giving each wine the chance to perfectly depict the characteristics of the Skilly Valley and the conditions and microclimates of each vineyard. Intervention is kept to a minimum, except to continually reinvest in the soils and the vines and to use a judicious hand in guiding and enhancing the journey from grape to glass. This attention to detail, both in the vineyard and in the winery, was recognised with a debut five-star rating in its first Halliday Wine Companion review, with Woodvale also listed as one of the Top Ten New Wineries of 2018. Those early successes have since been backed up by outstanding vintages in a select range of varietals, including Riesling, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mataro, Semillon, Pinot Gris and Grenache.
The 2021 vintage GSM (85% / 8% / 7%) is deep brick red in colour with bright crimson hues with dark cherries, red fruits, and kitchen spices. The flavours of dark cherries, red fruits, and kitchen spices dominate the palate with subtle French oak influences rounding out this very appealing wine. Crafted from three different vineyard sites; an old block of Grenache in Seven Hill planted back in 1955, the Shiraz from a twenty-five-year-old dry grown vineyard in Watervale and a small parcel of dry farmed Mataro from the hills on the eastern side of Penwortham. A delicate yet silky southern Rhonish blend. Made in a fresh Joven style, which generally means that the wine has been made to be enjoyed whilst young and lively. All parcels were vinified and kept separate throughout the twelve-month maturation period until final assemblage and bottling occurred in June 2022. Try with a steak sandwich. 14.5% ABV