Five Geese Wines — Old Vines, Wild Guardians, McLaren Vale
Five Geese Wines is one of McLaren Vale's most distinctive and characterful wine producers — an estate with a story as original as the wines it produces. Situated in the north-eastern end of the Willunga Basin, across 32 hectares of exceptional terroir in the Warramate foothills, Five Geese is home to some of McLaren Vale's oldest vines and a winemaking philosophy built on patience, elevation, and the extraordinary character of ancient South Australian soils.
The Five Geese Story
The name Five Geese is not a marketing invention — it is a genuine piece of vineyard history. Five wild geese wandered onto the property one day and simply never left. They became the self-appointed guardians of the Five Geese vines — keeping the vineyard in check, chasing away unwanted animals, insects, and snails with a dedication and effectiveness that no conventional pest management programme could match. The five geese became so integral to the life of the vineyard that they were immortalised on the label, where they remain to this day — a reminder that the best things in wine, as in life, are often the ones that arrive unexpectedly and stay forever.
The Vineyard: Ancient Vines & Elevated Terroir
The Five Geese estate vineyard is one of McLaren Vale's most historically significant and viticulturally distinctive sites. The estate's Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mataro, and Grenache vines were planted in 1927 and 1965 — among the oldest producing vines in the McLaren Vale region, and a living connection to the pioneering era of South Australian viticulture. Vines of this age develop extraordinarily deep root systems that access water and nutrients from deep within the ancient soils, naturally limiting yields and concentrating the flavour, complexity, and character of the fruit they produce. The Nero d'Avola and Cabernet varietals are grown from vines in the eastern end of the valley, adding further diversity to the estate's extraordinary variety portfolio.
The Five Geese vineyard sits at approximately 180 metres above sea level — elevated above the valley floor in a position that confers significant viticultural advantages. The elevation provides a slightly cooler microclimate than the lower-lying valley floor sites, and the moderating afternoon sea breezes that sweep across the vineyard from the Gulf St Vincent allow the grapes a long, even ripening season of extraordinary quality. The consequence of this cooler, more gradual ripening is one of Five Geese's most distinctive and important characteristics: the estate's grapes are often picked two to three weeks later than other wineries in the district, giving Five Geese wines a more developed, complex, and balanced flavour profile than earlier-harvested fruit can achieve.
Blewitt Springs: The Pippali Vineyard
For the flagship Old Vine The Pippali Shiraz, Five Geese sources fruit from the distinguished Sue Trott vineyard in the Blewitt Springs sub-region of McLaren Vale — one of the most celebrated and distinctive vineyard sites in the region. The Blewitt Springs vineyard sits at 200 metres above sea level on deep sand soils over clay with an ironstone base — a soil profile of extraordinary character that is unique to the Blewitt Springs sub-region and central to the distinctive style of the wines produced here. The deep sand soils are free-draining and low in fertility, naturally limiting yields and producing fruit of exceptional concentration and intensity. The clay subsoil retains moisture during the dry summer months, protecting the vines from drought stress and allowing them to ripen slowly and evenly. The ironstone base adds a distinctive mineral character to the wines that is one of the hallmarks of the Blewitt Springs style.
The Pippali Shiraz is produced from 55-year-old vines on this extraordinary site, with 24 months of maturation in French oak — a combination of ancient vine intensity, distinctive Blewitt Springs terroir, and patient oak maturation that produces a Shiraz of remarkable depth, complexity, and elegance.
Our Range
Five Geese McLaren Vale Shiraz — The estate expression of McLaren Vale Shiraz, sourced from the Blewitt Springs vineyard and aged for 18 months in predominantly French and American oak hogsheads. Soft, sumptuous berry fruit flavours with elegant depth and a fine tannic finish. A McLaren Vale Shiraz of genuine regional character and approachable elegance.
Five Geese Old Vine The Pippali Shiraz — The flagship expression — 100% Shiraz from Sue Trott's Blewitt Springs vineyard, 55-year-old vines at 200m elevation on deep sand over clay with ironstone base, 24 months in French oak. Rich and plush with black raspberry and dark plum over scorched earth, vanillin oak, and sweet pepper. Velvet smooth tannins and a long, complex finish. A Shiraz of genuine old vine intensity and Blewitt Springs distinction.
Five Geese McLaren Vale Nero d'Avola — One of the most distinctive and original expressions in the Five Geese range — Nero d'Avola, the great red variety of Sicily, grown in the eastern end of the McLaren Vale valley. Brilliant cherry red. Savoury bouquet perfumed with dark maraschino cherry, quince paste, and subtle smoky oak complexity. Elegant and medium-bodied with good natural acidity and a clean, lingering finish of ripe cherry balanced by gentle tannins. A genuinely original McLaren Vale expression of a variety that thrives in warm, Mediterranean climates.
Five Geese Volpacchiotto Rosé — An Italian-inspired rosé crafted from Nero d'Avola — the name Volpacchiotto (‘little fox’ in Italian) speaks to the playful, characterful personality of this wine. Very pretty salmon pink. Fresh, bright red fruits and spice with the typical Nero d'Avola quince character. Crisp, flavoursome palate with good texture and acidity, and a long, dry, savoury finish lingering with rhubarb and quince.
Five Geese 7 Wishes Friendship Pinot Grigio — Adelaide Hills — A lively and light Pinot Grigio from the cool-climate Adelaide Hills, true to the Italian Grigio style. Attractive golden yellow. Aromas of nashi pear and grapefruit. Lively and light on the palate with excellent balance, strength, and structure. Flavoursome with a mineral finish. A wine that pairs astoundingly well with friends.
How to Enjoy Five Geese Wines
The Pinot Grigio and Rosé are best served well chilled at 8–10°C — outstanding with fresh seafood, antipasto, and light Mediterranean dishes. The Nero d'Avola is best at 14–16°C with pasta, pizza, and Italian-inspired dishes. The McLaren Vale Shiraz is best at 16–18°C with grilled lamb, beef, and aged cheeses. The Pippali Shiraz rewards decanting for 30–60 minutes and is outstanding with premium red meat dishes, slow-braised lamb, and aged hard cheeses — a wine to be savoured slowly in appreciation of the 55-year-old vines and 24 months of French oak maturation that have produced it.
Explore our full Five Geese Wines range below and discover why this McLaren Vale estate — with its 1927-planted old vines, its five wild guardian geese, its elevated Blewitt Springs terroir, and its extraordinary commitment to patience and late harvesting — is producing some of the most distinctive and characterful wines in South Australia.
