Sussex Squire Wines is an award-winning, premium wine producer in South Australia’s beautiful Clare Valley.
A small family-owned vineyard and cellar door, Sussex Squire Wines are part of the 4th generation to farm in the Clare Valley and focused on producing top quality, single vineyard wines.
“We have followed our passion to develop and produce wines we love to drink,” says owner and winemaker Mark Bollen.
“It is our goal to produce interesting small batch wines that are fruit driven and balanced with subtle French oak to allow the fruit to the express the characteristics of the vineyard. I select fruit from mainly dry grown single vineyards across the Clare Valley that show unique terroir characteristics, intensity and concentration of fruit.”
Organic Principles, Premium Quality Wine
Bollen went on to say fruit from the vineyard’s dry grown Shiraz vineyard is the main priority and managed in a sustainable process with organic principles in under vine management.
“Our Black Suffolk sheep roam the vineyard in the winter to help control weeds and fertilize the soil and in the summer weed control is maintained by numerous slashing runs,” he said.
Cellar Door Open Daily
Visitors to the Clare Valley are welcome at Sussex Squire Wine’s small cellar door, located at 293 Spring Gully Road, Gillentown. Open daily from 10am – 5pm, visitors can try the range of wines that include Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Sangiovese, Malbec, Mataro, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz.
Bollen said one of the aspects that makes his wine unique is the focus on dry grown (non-irrigated) single-site vineyards in making red wines.
A stunning hillside of vines at Sussex Squire Wines.
“The opportunity to use high-quality, dry-grown vineyards allows us to let the vineyard dictate how the wine will express its flavours and intensity from these low yielding vineyards,” he said.
“Our Shiraz fruit is selected from our highest area of the vineyard because we can hand pick the bunches that are small with small berries, so the concentration of flavours and colours are at their highest.”
“We ferment the fruit in small open fermenters which are hand plunged 2-3 times daily for 10-12 days and then we lightly drain the skins through a basket press without pressing to reduce any harsh tannins. Once the juice is through secondary fermentation we then place the wine for our Thomas Block Shiraz into new and old French oak barrels for between 12-15months, while our JRS Barrel Select Shiraz will stay in 100% new French oak barrels for 24 months.”
We asked Mark Bollen, who’s also a keen cyclist, his top 3 reasons to visit the Clare Valley
1. Great mix of cellar doors to visit in beautiful country side.
2. Visitors are spoilt for choice for venues serving international standard cuisine.
3. The history, the people and the architecture.
“The news of the Clare Classic cycling event was very exciting to hear,” he said.
“As an avid cyclist I was keen to get involved from a cycling perspective, but I was also keen to get involved in regard to our wine business. The lift in profile for the Clare Valley that this sort of event creates across the domestic market is fantastic as it gives exposure to some new markets.”
Skye and Mark at the Sussex Squire cellar door in the Clare Valley.
“The Clare Valley has so many things to offer our visitors, from the many winery cellar doors, to breweries, great food, to the beautiful country side, the Riesling trail and historical sites and buildings. It is also a great stepping off point as the gate way to the Flinders Ranges. An event like this will draw a new market of people to the Clare Valley that may never have considered visiting before and they will bring their families and enjoy their experience.
“The result from these sort of activities and events will see the Clare Valley introduced to a broader market and so that they will continue to return in the future as well as bring new friends each time to enjoy what the Clare Valley has to offer.”
Bollen said the Clare Valley has a lot to offer to a broader market of visitors. Recent events, such as the Clare Masters in 2015 and 2017, have helped highlight the attraction of the Clare Valley.
“These events have lifted the profile of the Clare Valley and with new capital investment and development of infrastructure. The venues will continue to bring more visitors – from both domestic and international markets – to explore the valley.”
The Clare Classic will be held in the stunning Clare Valley on Sunday April 8, 2018. With plenty to see and do including cellar doors like Sussex Squire Wines, why not make a weekend or event a week of it! For full details and to book visit www.clareclassic.com.au
