The “Now” series was made for the first time in vintage 2017, when particularly good conditions were experienced in Mcaren Vale to produce very aromatic and crisp wines. The name “Now” alludes to “Natural Organic Wine”. The Chardonnay grapes are sourced from the property’s biodynamically cultivated vineyards in McLaren Vale, where the nights are cool and where ripening therefore usually takes place slowly.
The grapes are hand-picked at night and pressed in whole bunches – that is, without prior de-stemming or mashing – to shorten the process. The must is then transferred to steel fermentation tanks, where fermentation starts spontaneously with the grapes’ own yeast cells. After a subsequent malolactic fermentation, the wine was further aged for 2-3 months, with continuous stirring, to achieve optimal aroma and taste from the sediment. The wine is bottled immediately after natural sedimentation and a light filtration – this to promote the freshness and bite of the grape variety.
In the fragrance, it is first the exotic fruit notes that dominate, with shades of peaches, pears, mango and honey, but you also sense freshness and bite at the end. The taste is quite creamy, with some of the same nuances as in the fragrance, but also fresher characters of melon, citrus fruits and kiwi and a good minerality. Perfect for seafood and fish dishes, preferably with exotic or Asian sauces.
Paxton Vineyards in McLaren Vale was founded in 1979 by David Paxton, who is today regarded as one of the most accomplished winegrowers in Australia. For many years they produced grapes which were sold on to other companies, and only in 2000 did they launch a Paxton Shiraz (1998) under their own name. At the same time, David Paxton’s son, Michael, finished his education as a winemaker and agronomist, and he then became part of the team. The philosophy has been clear from the start: the wines should express the typicality of the grapes, the diversity of the area and the potential and character of each vineyard, which i.a. led to a switch to biodynamic production. (NASAA Reg. No. 5364P).
Today, Paxton Vineyards owns and cultivates a total of 80 ha. vineyards distributed in McLaren Vale and in the Barossa Valley, which provides good diversity in terms of climate and soil conditions. The grape variety Shiraz is the most important, but they also grow i.a. Grenache, Cabernet, Tempranillo, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay. David Paxton and his team use both traditional and more innovative cultivation methods, where, among other things, selects clones that give a low yield but in turn higher quality. Irrigation is a necessity on several of the vineyards, but the process is carefully controlled, e.g. with drip irrigation, so that the yield is also limited.
McLaren Vale is a wine region just a few kilometers south of the city of Adelaide in South Australia. Wine has been produced here since the 19th century, but it is only in recent years that the area has really been discovered on the export markets. McLaren Vale is particularly known for its dark Shiraz wines, but wines are also produced from other grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache and Merlot. Many of the smaller producers sell a large proportion of their wines at farm sales to the many tourists from Adelaide who frequently visit the area.
Although the distance to the sea is only 10-15 km. and thus providing a certain cooling influence, McLaren Vale is an extremely hot area where viticulture is a challenge. Without irrigation it would therefore be impossible to grow wine here. The soil varies somewhat in the different sub-districts; Sellicks Foothills, Blewitt Springs, Seaview, Willunga and McLaren Flat, and so do the styles of the wines.
