Pertaringa 'Belonging to the Hills' GSM 2022

GSM stands for Grenache, Shiraz, and Mourvèdre - a classic Rhône-style blend that has found its perfect home in McLaren Vale. This combination creates exceptional complexity, with Grenache providing bright fruit and elegance, Shiraz adding power and spice, and Mourvèdre contributing structure and earthy depth. The blend's popularity stems from its ability to showcase the best characteristics of each varietal while creating a harmonious, food-friendly wine that's both approachable and age-worthy.

McLaren Vale's Mediterranean climate and diverse soils create perfect conditions for GSM blends, particularly the warm, dry summers that allow these varietals to reach optimal ripeness. The region's proximity to the ocean provides cooling influences that help retain acidity and freshness, while the ancient soils contribute to the wine's mineral complexity. This terroir combination produces the rich, full-bodied character that McLaren Vale GSMs are renowned for, with intense fruit flavours balanced by elegant structure.

The 2022 vintage has been recognised as a 'Killer Vintage' by critics, reflecting exceptional growing conditions that produced wines of outstanding quality. This vintage benefited from ideal weather patterns that allowed for slow, even ripening, resulting in concentrated flavours and excellent balance. The high scores from critics like Ken Gargett (96 points) and Wine Orbit (94 points) confirm that 2022 delivered the perfect combination of fruit intensity, structural integrity, and aromatic complexity that defines great McLaren Vale GSM.

Serve this full-bodied GSM at 16-18°C to allow its complex flavours of blueberry, spice, and violets to fully express themselves. Decanting for 30-60 minutes before serving will help soften the tannins and open up the aromatic profile. This wine pairs beautifully with grilled meats, Mediterranean cuisine, or aged cheeses, where its rich fruit character and spicy notes can complement bold flavours without being overwhelmed.

Pertaringa represents the continuation of the Hardy family's winemaking heritage, one of Australia's most iconic wine dynasties with over 160 years of history. Producer Bec Hardy brings this generational expertise to modern winemaking, combining traditional techniques with contemporary understanding of McLaren Vale terroir. The Hardy name carries significant weight in Australian wine, and this GSM showcases why their reputation for quality and consistency has made them as essential to Australian wine culture as the description suggests - like 'vegemite to toast'.