SC Pannell
About
S.C. Pannell is a celebration of place, provenance, and the Australian way of life, crafting wines that reflect the unique character of McLaren Vale's Mediterranean climate and ancient geology. Founded by Stephen and Fiona Pannell, the winery champions unusual varieties and encourages exploration, creating wines that suit the food we make and the way we live. Stephen's decades of winemaking experience, shaped by tenures at leading family estates across Bordeaux, Burgundy, Barolo, and Priorat, has heralded a pathway for Mediterranean varieties in the Vale. Signature wines including Grenache, Tempranillo, Touriga Nacional, Aglianico, Nero d'Avola, and Fiano paint the McLaren Vale landscape with an eclectic and colourful expression that challenges convention.
With an impressive trove of accomplishments—including International Red Winemaker of the Year 1999, Gourmet Traveller Winemaker of the Year 2015, and four-time winner of the prestigious Bushing Trophy (the first winemaker in McLaren Vale history to achieve this)—Stephen has been named one of the 50 most influential contributors to the world of wine by Decanter Magazine. These are wines made to share with the people you love, telling the story of region and vineyard with every glass.
Regions
History
Stephen's contribution to the industry is remarkable: two-time winner of the Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy, recipient of the Max Schubert Trophy at the Adelaide Wine Show, and founder of the contemporary Grenache zeitgeist.
As Huon Hooke notes, "It would be difficult to conjure a more complete all-round wine guy than Steve Pannell." James Halliday declares, "The future of the Pannells is limitless, the icon status of the label already established." The winery's approach brings together decades of experience with growing insights, inspiring a generation of winemakers who delight in the different and trust what the land can produce. As Stephen himself says, "The truly wondrous thing about great wine is that it speaks of where it comes from."