Varney Wines

Alan Varney’s Australian career (based on an oenology degree from the University of Melbourne) grew out of a vintage stint with d’Arenberg into an 11-year employment, much of it as senior winemaker. He says that this period meant he came to be friends with many of the best local growers in McLaren Vale, the Adelaide Hills and Langhorne Creek. He is a brilliant winemaker, saying, ‘I am not afraid to step out of the box and go with my intuition … I only use old seasoned oak with no fining or filtration.’ His ability to draw the varietal heart of each wine he makes with the majority of alcohol levels between 12% and 14% is extraordinary. The unspoken question is whether he will increase the small amounts of each wine he makes; my (James') guess is not by much. -JAMES HALLIDAY