Being able to work closely with so many incredible growers is what Marnie Roberts loves most about her role at The Group. The new premium wine range is a unique collaboration with a grower-owned collective of more than 100 top producers across South Australia. Created to reflect and showcase the best possible fruit, sites and regions, The Group is also supporting and celebrating the growers – the unsung heroes of the wine industry.
“We’re working with gorgeous generational growers and making sure the ethos is real and right,” Marnie says. “The awesome thing is that the growers are seeing a return in the project and there’s a belief in this system of us working together.”
Winemaker at The Group, Marnie Roberts.
The Group’s range currently comprises five red wines sourced from McLaren Vale and the Adelaide Hills, reflecting a range of varieties and vineyards – and the finest fruit. “We’re honing in on the quality and earmarking the sites that are really working,” Marnie says. The project then strengthens the collective, which in turn supports these local producers so their vineyards and businesses can thrive.
A large part of Marnie’s work involves spending time in the vines to taste the fruit, talking with the people behind it, and working together from the outset. “A lot of my winemaking is in the vineyard – when I taste the fruit, I already know what the wine should look like, so it’s an important part of the process,” she says.
Some of the country’s most esteemed growers are involved, such as the Paxtons of McLaren Vale, with their fruit showcased in the biodynamic shiraz The Siege. As for summing up the winemaking approach to the wider range, it’s no surprise that it all comes down to celebrating the sites.
“What we’re trying to do with regards to the style is make big, but approachable wines that really represent the region and the fruit,” Marnie says. “What I taste in the vineyard is what I try to see through to the bottle to reflect what the grower is doing, and which region they’re from.”
With access to more than 100 diverse growers, The Group’s wines are indeed premium. “We can pick the eyes out of the fruit, so quality is easy to get,” Marnie says. But it’s clear the intentions go far beyond simply making great wine. “The grower has to be happy – no hands are forced. Ultimately, it’s for the growers to sell their fruit in a way they’re comfortable with, and us making it look the best it can.”
• 2017 The Murder McLaren Vale Shiraz
• 2018 The Fever McLaren Vale Field Blend
• 2019 The Quiver McLaren Vale Grenache
• 2019 The Shadow Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir
• 2019 The Siege McLaren Vale Shiraz
This article was produced in partnership with The Group.
“We’re working with gorgeous generational growers and making sure the ethos is real and right,” Marnie says. “The awesome thing is that the growers are seeing a return in the project and there’s a belief in this system of us working together.”
Winemaker at The Group, Marnie Roberts.
The Group’s range currently comprises five red wines sourced from McLaren Vale and the Adelaide Hills, reflecting a range of varieties and vineyards – and the finest fruit. “We’re honing in on the quality and earmarking the sites that are really working,” Marnie says. The project then strengthens the collective, which in turn supports these local producers so their vineyards and businesses can thrive.
A large part of Marnie’s work involves spending time in the vines to taste the fruit, talking with the people behind it, and working together from the outset. “A lot of my winemaking is in the vineyard – when I taste the fruit, I already know what the wine should look like, so it’s an important part of the process,” she says.
Some of the country’s most esteemed growers are involved, such as the Paxtons of McLaren Vale, with their fruit showcased in the biodynamic shiraz The Siege. As for summing up the winemaking approach to the wider range, it’s no surprise that it all comes down to celebrating the sites.
“What we’re trying to do with regards to the style is make big, but approachable wines that really represent the region and the fruit,” Marnie says. “What I taste in the vineyard is what I try to see through to the bottle to reflect what the grower is doing, and which region they’re from.”
With access to more than 100 diverse growers, The Group’s wines are indeed premium. “We can pick the eyes out of the fruit, so quality is easy to get,” Marnie says. But it’s clear the intentions go far beyond simply making great wine. “The grower has to be happy – no hands are forced. Ultimately, it’s for the growers to sell their fruit in a way they’re comfortable with, and us making it look the best it can.”
THE WINES
• 2017 The Murder McLaren Vale Shiraz
• 2018 The Fever McLaren Vale Field Blend
• 2019 The Quiver McLaren Vale Grenache
• 2019 The Shadow Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir
• 2019 The Siege McLaren Vale Shiraz
Available at Liquorland, Vintage Cellars and First Choice Liquor Market – find out more here.
This article was produced in partnership with The Group.
