A McLaren Vale winemaker is challenging some of the wine world’s unwritten rules with a limited-release red that blends three grape varieties and three different vintages into one unconventional bottle.
The new Triplo by Varney Wines is the latest creation from winemaker Alan Varney, who has taken the traditional art of blending and given it a rebellious twist.
Blending is one of winemaking’s most meticulous crafts, with generations of winemakers relying on their senses and experience to bring different wines together in search of greater balance and complexity.
But Alan has pushed the idea a step further, combining not only different varieties but different points in time.
The result is a tri-varietal, tri-vintage blend built around Nebbiolo, with Sagrantino and Montepulciano added from subsequent vintages.
Nebbiolo is often regarded as one of the world’s most noble grape varieties and is rarely blended with other grapes, while blending multiple vintages is not traditionally celebrated as a way to create balanced, premium wines. But for Alan, questioning those conventions is all part of the fun.
The concept behind Triplo was born from Alan’s long-standing willingness to challenge the rules of winemaking and ask which traditions are worth keeping, and which might be holding winemakers back.
In the finished wine, the firm tannins of Nebbiolo are softened, allowing its perfumed fruit character to emerge, while the chewier tannins and spicy fruit of Sagrantino have had time to mature. Meanwhile, the youthful generosity of Montepulciano brings another layer of fruit to the blend.
The result is designed to capture the character of each variety while using the influence of time to create a wine that is balanced and harmonious.
It might break a few rules, but Varney Wines says Triplo ultimately remains a classic expression of the winemaker’s craft. And wine lovers will have to move quickly if they want to get their hands on a bottle.
Just 130 dozen bottles have been produced, with Triplo priced at $130 per bottle.
Founded by Alan Varney, the winery was named James Halliday’s Best New Winery in 2021 and has built a reputation for small-batch wines made from South Australian fruit, alongside immersive wine tourism experiences.
Triplo marks another chapter for the boutique winery as it continues to experiment with traditional winemaking techniques while putting its own spin on the rules.
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