Romano Vineyard

Romano Vineyard sits at 100 metres in the Seaview district, west of McLaren Vale town and closer to the coast than any other site we work with. Bruno Romano farms the Grenache here, planted in 1964 and dry grown ever since.

Proximity to the Gulf St Vincent is what sets Romano apart. Cool maritime air moves inland through the afternoon and evening, moderating the pace of ripening and holding acidity in the fruit. Where our Blewitt Springs sites rely on elevation and sand to keep things fresh, Romano gets there by way of the sea.

The soil is well-drained sandy loam — more structure to it than the deep sands of Blewitt Springs, holding a little more moisture through the dry months. That difference shows in the glass. The fruit comes in with more freshness and a lighter touch, a different character drawn from the same variety.

At sixty years old and dry grown, the vines crop lightly and give fruit of real depth and purity without needing to be pushed.

Romano is the most approachable wine in the Pare range and the best place to begin with what Grenache can do. That does not mean it is simple — the site has real personality, and it shows. But it asks less patience than Trott, less attention than Douglas Gully. It is a wine for drinking now, with the understanding that now is a good time.