The first Homeless Grapes Project started in 2015 with one little Facebook post. Jock Harvey, from Chalk Hill Wines, posted that he had a surplus block of grapes and anyone was welcome to them if they made a donation to charity. We saw an opportunity: why not make a cheeky little shiraz instead and send 100% of the profits to charity? We contacted Jock, and the rest - as they say in the biz - took loads of hard work but was totally worth it. 

Three hours later, we had pickers, tractors, a winemaker, barrels, bottles and labels all lined up. The whole community came together to make the wine a reality, and the Homeless Grapes Project was born. An incredible $36,000 donation to the Hutt St Centre in Adelaide. Since then you’ve helped us raise over $150,000 for Australia’s homeless. 

The Homeless Grapes - 

McLaren Vale 2019

This year we’re picking grapes and making wine in the Yarra Valley, Coonawarra, McLaren Vale and Hunter Valley - the idea being that each pick supports a local homelessness issue. All proceeds from the McLaren Vale red will go to the Hutt St Centre in Adelaide. Each year, Hutt St Centre serves over 40,000 meals and offers support to nearly 2,000 people. Showers, laundry facilities, visiting health professionals, an aged city living program for their older clients, recreational activities, training and employment programs, legal aid and assistance with finding housing are all services provided to the 200 plus people challenged by homelessness who visit Hutt St Centre each day.

The Partners

Though we have the absolute honour of selling the finished product, we can’t take responsibility for this vino. This is a community effort for community gain, from the winemakers doing the hard yards to our designer working on the label, to the volunteer mofos out picking grapes. Everyone played or will play a part in this and we give thanks to you all.

But extra special thanks go to Corrina Wright from Oliver’s Taranga for her winemaking, and Kangarilla Road Winery for their grapes. Also...

You

Yeah, you. You who jumped out of bed without much notice (hello fickle nature, we’re looking at you) and headed to a vineyard to spend some time with these homeless grapes. You who bought a case of a previous vintage and helped us do some good. You who shared that wine with friends and spread the message of Homeless Grapes. You, who upon reading this, will buy a case of this vintage and help make a difference. You, beautiful mofo, who is out there contributing to a better world.

The Wine

This shiraz is classic McLaren Vale with blackberry, black cherry and dark chocolate luring you in on the nose. The palate is plush and firm, full of juicy black fruits and dense, velvety tannins. We’re selling the wine for $20 a bottle, which will be some fantastic value for a wicked Vale shiraz. Your money will be going straight to the Hutt St Centre. No middlemen at all.