Dandelion Vineyards Lion's Tooth of McLaren Vale Shiraz/Riesling 2021
Deep red in colour with youthful violet hints, the wine has aromas of plum and spice redolent of the Shiraz, with a bright burst of Riesling's innate minerality and aromatic freshness. The nose continues with some white chocolate, herbal notes, and blueberry. On the palate the flavours are fruity, smooth, and savoury. The finish is long and evenly keeled.
The word Dandelion, stems from 'Dente de Lion' meaning 'Lion's Tooth'. Winemaker Elena co-ferments an almost forgotten but timeless blend of Shiraz and Riesling to enhance the wine's perfume and palate. They encourage the growth of dandelions in the vineyard as they suppress winter weeds and provide mulch in summer. Soils are sandy loam and Pirramimma sandstone.
The Shiraz grapes were hand harvested and whole-bunch fermented with stalks, and placed inopen fermenters to siton top of Riesling skins for 11 days. The cap was hand plunged twice daily before being gently pressed into a mix of some new, but predominantly old French oak barriques to complete fermentation. The wine remained in barrel for 18 months before being racked and bottled without filtration or fining.
Dandelion Vineyards is the venture of talented winemaker Elena Brooks, and her husband Zar. Their project makes wines from the Barossa and Eden Valleys, Fleurieu, the Adelaide Hills and McLaren Vale.
Elena hails from Bulgaria. Her mother worked for a local producer, and so much of Elena’s childhood was spent in a winery. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Bulgaria’s rich winemaking history attracted visiting winemakers from across the globe. As a result, Elena met many international winemakers visiting her mother's workplace. As the only English speaker, she began interpreting barrel room tastings for these visitors at the age of 12. By 15 she was well-versed in the ins and outs of the winemaking process and by 16 she had made her first wine. After formal study and stints making wine worldwide, Elena eventually settled in McLaren Vale with Zar and founded Dandelion Vineyards.
Nick Stock, one of Australia’s leading journalists, wrote about Dandelion Vineyards saying, “The approach is remarkably simple and sees Elena making wine from a suite of beautiful old vineyards across that blessed curve that runs from the Barossa, up through the Eden Valley and Adelaide Hills and down into McLaren Vale.”
Dandelion Vineyards is the venture of talented winemaker Elena Brooks, and her husband Zar. Their project makes wines from the Barossa and Eden Valleys, Fleurieu, the Adelaide Hills and McLaren Vale.
Elena hails from Bulgaria. Her mother worked for a local producer, and so much of Elena’s childhood was spent in a winery. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Bulgaria’s rich winemaking history attracted visiting winemakers from across the globe. As a result, Elena met many international winemakers visiting her mother's workplace. As the only English speaker, she began interpreting barrel room tastings for these visitors at the age of 12. By 15 she was well-versed in the ins and outs of the winemaking process and by 16 she had made her first wine. After formal study and stints making wine worldwide, Elena eventually settled in McLaren Vale with Zar and founded Dandelion Vineyards.
Nick Stock, one of Australia’s leading journalists, wrote about Dandelion Vineyards saying, “The approach is remarkably simple and sees Elena making wine from a suite of beautiful old vineyards across that blessed curve that runs from the Barossa, up through the Eden Valley and Adelaide Hills and down into McLaren Vale.”
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