Join us this week as we shine a light on Kenny Wine—an emerging Clare Valley producer crafting honest, site-driven wines that celebrate vineyard character, and a deep connection to place.
Saturday 12th July
2.00pm-5.00pm
Open on the day:
2.00pm-5.00pm
Open on the day:
'24 'Polish Hill River' Riesling $39
'21 'Honigsack' Riesling $88
'22 'Eastern Range' Sangiovese $44
'22 'Sevenhill' Grenache $46
'23 'Auburn' Shiraz $44
'21 'Honigsack' Riesling $88
'22 'Eastern Range' Sangiovese $44
'22 'Sevenhill' Grenache $46
'23 'Auburn' Shiraz $44
Enjoy a 10% discount when you purchase any three bottles on the day.
Hosted by Greg Richardson of Vinous, and free of charge.
Clare Valley | South Australia
Just under two hours north of Adelaide lies the Clare Valley, a region defined by rolling ridges, peaceful rural towns, and a winemaking tradition that stretches back nearly two centuries. Though its name suggests a single valley, Clare is in fact a patchwork of gentle hills, sub-valleys, and slopes that run north to south, creating a diverse and visually striking landscape. The heart of the region lies between the towns of Auburn and Clare, where most of its vineyards are concentrated, tucked into the folds of this undulating countryside.
Clare Valley has long been a place of quiet innovation and enduring quality. The first vines were planted by English settlers in the 1840s, and it wasn’t long before the Jesuits arrived, establishing Sevenhill Cellars in 1851 to produce sacramental wines—a tradition that continues to this day. Other early pioneers followed, including the founding of AP Birks Wendouree in 1892, a name that still resonates with collectors and lovers of ageworthy Australian reds. By the early 1900s, more than 500 hectares of vines were in the ground, setting the foundation for the region’s winegrowing future.
Over time, new generations of producers have added to Clare’s reputation. Jim Barry arrived in the 1940s, founding his own winery in 1959 and helping to shape the region’s modern identity. The arrival of iconic names like Grosset in the 1980s and Kilikanoon in the 1990s further elevated the region’s profile, and today Clare Valley is home to nearly 5,000 hectares of vineyards and a growing number of producers whose wines enjoy a strong international following.
While Clare Valley is often associated with warmth, its elevation—typically between 400 and 600 meters above sea level—plays a vital role in moderating temperatures and extending the growing season. The result is a climate that offers plenty of sunshine for ripening but with cool evenings that help preserve natural acidity and freshness in the fruit. This diurnal variation is especially beneficial for white grapes like Riesling, which has become one of Clare’s most celebrated varieties. Spring frosts can be a challenge in some pockets, particularly in cooler subregions like Polish Hill River and Watervale, but overall Clare enjoys a relatively dry and healthy growing environment, with low disease pressure and limited need for irrigation.
Today, Shiraz is the most widely planted grape in the region, and it thrives here in a style that’s rich and generous but often more refined and restrained than its counterparts in Barossa. Clare Shiraz can be plush and full-flavored, but it tends to show freshness and a sense of structure that makes it distinct.
Still, for many, Clare Valley is synonymous with Riesling. These wines are dry, intense, and full of drive, with laser-like acidity and classic notes of lime, white flowers, and stone fruit. They are striking in their youth, especially under screwcap—a closure embraced early and wholeheartedly in Clare—but develop beautifully over time, gaining complex honeyed and toasty notes with age. The region’s most revered Riesling subzones include Watervale and Polish Hill, the latter known for its distinctive blue slate soils that echo those of Germany’s Mosel Valley. Wines from these areas are often taut, mineral, and quietly powerful.
Kenny Wine – Thoughtful Farming, Honest Wines
Andrew Kenny launched his Kenny Wine label in 2021 with the goal of crafting honest, expressive wines that highlight variety, place, and vintage. Beginning with Clare Valley Riesling and Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir, the range quickly expanded with the acquisition of a mature Shiraz vineyard in Auburn. This was followed by old vine Grenache and Sangiovese in 2022, and a 2023 collaboration with Germany’s Weingut Gabel—Kenny x Gabel—featuring Riesling and soon, Pinot Noir.
Andrew’s winemaking style is classic and minimal, built around varietal precision and regional character. “Our ethos is single-vineyard wines, attention to detail in the vineyard, and celebrating site diversity,” says Kenny. “We want to express vintage variation, not mask it.”
Originally from the Adelaide Hills, Kenny studied viticulture and oenology at the University of Adelaide and completed vintages both locally and in Germany. His time at Weingut Gabel in the Pfalz helped shape his vision, and in 2021 he was named Dux of the AWRI Advanced Wine Assessment Course.
Victoria, Andrew’s partner, was instrumental in launching the label, taking on logistics and admin so Andrew could focus on the wine. In 2020, they purchased a neglected Shiraz vineyard in Auburn, planted by Kilikanoon in 2001. Half of it has since been grafted to Sangiovese, and in 2023, they planted 600 Pinot Blanc vines—likely a first for Clare Valley.
Committed to regenerative farming, they’ve removed all synthetic inputs and embraced composting, cover cropping, and biodiversity. “The soil is alive again,” says Kenny. “We’re seeing better fruit set and vine health.”
In addition to their home block, they work with like-minded growers—sourcing old vine Grenache from Sevenhill and new Riesling parcels from Watervale and Polish Hill River. The label’s first German bottling, the 2023 ‘Kenny x Gabel Honigsack’ Riesling, reflects their ongoing cross-continental partnership.
The journey hasn’t been without challenges. A severe frost in late 2023 wiped out their entire crop, but it led to a new partnership with Castine-Morella Vineyard, known for its ecological focus and exceptional fruit quality.
What began as a small project has grown into a dynamic and thoughtful wine label, rooted in clarity, sustainability, and connection to place. “We’re here to make wines of integrity—always single vineyard, always site-specific, always honest,” says Kenny.
The Wines
'24 'Polish Hill River' Riesling
As the name suggests this is sourced from Polish Hill River; a block planted in 1979 to Geisenheim sitting at 450m altitude. Free run juice only from chilled fruit fermented with neutral yeast on ‘fluffy lees’, unfined but lightly filtered before bottling. Green apple, brown lime, florals with a crunchy palate but well balanced acidity allowing it to drink beautifully now.
'21 'Honigsack' Riesling
“The Honigsack Riesling is our most special release yet. Grapes from the Pfalz region of Germany, this wine is made in collaboration with our very close friends, Oliver & Lena at Weingut Gabel.
The opportunity to work with the Gabel family was never a question for us. As well as our values of organic practices aligning from Vineyard to Winery, Oliver Gabel is also an absolute guru in the European Wine scene, and someone we have had the pleasure of learning from and working with over the years. An idea to make wine together and bring to Australia seemed impossible, but in 2021 the dream came to fruition. Restricted to Facetime assistance and samples via airmail (thanks covid!) we still managed to work together and kept the collaboration alive trusting in Oliver's expertise within his vineyards. Finally, it is an absolute dream to share the first release of Kenny X Gabel, the Honigsack Riesling V21. Organic certified Single vineyard. Hand Picked at 11 Baumé. Spontaneous Fermentation in 120 year old StückFass. Racked, Filtered and Bottled at the 17th Century Winery. Orange blossom, lemon curd, carraway and zippy acidity” – Kenny Wine
The opportunity to work with the Gabel family was never a question for us. As well as our values of organic practices aligning from Vineyard to Winery, Oliver Gabel is also an absolute guru in the European Wine scene, and someone we have had the pleasure of learning from and working with over the years. An idea to make wine together and bring to Australia seemed impossible, but in 2021 the dream came to fruition. Restricted to Facetime assistance and samples via airmail (thanks covid!) we still managed to work together and kept the collaboration alive trusting in Oliver's expertise within his vineyards. Finally, it is an absolute dream to share the first release of Kenny X Gabel, the Honigsack Riesling V21. Organic certified Single vineyard. Hand Picked at 11 Baumé. Spontaneous Fermentation in 120 year old StückFass. Racked, Filtered and Bottled at the 17th Century Winery. Orange blossom, lemon curd, carraway and zippy acidity” – Kenny Wine
'22 'Eastern Range' Sangiovese
From 22-year-old vines on the Eastern Range of Clare Valley. Hand-picked, cold soaked before natural yeast fermentation and a long 30-day maceration. Basket pressed before a relatively short 7 month stay on older barrels. Bottled unfined, unfiltered.
'22 'Sevenhill' Grenache
Sourced from a good friend, this is old vine Grenache at its best. Planted in 1961 in Sevenhill at 400m altitude its core personality is raspberry, spice and silk. Hand-picked, cold soaked, 20% whole bunches, natural yeast. Basket pressed to old oak for 7 months. Bottled unfined, unfiltered.
'23 'Auburn' Shiraz
Farmed organically from Andrew and Victoria’s own vineyard in Auburn, planted in 2001 and sitting 320m above sea level. Friut is hand-picked and cold soaked with 5% whole bunches prior to a spontaneous ferment and 18 days on skins. Basket pressed to aged French oak for 9 months. Bottled with no fining or filtration.
