DUNE

St. DUNE is a project from brothers Duncan and Peter Lloyd using fruit sourced from a vineyard in the Blewitt Springs sub-region of McLaren Vale. 

DUNE was born from Peter and Duncan’s desire to explore wines showcasing this vineyard's unique and interesting style, and varieties suited to the gently north-facing, late ripening site. 

The first DUNE wines were released in 2016 and the range has expanded to include a variety of blends and single varietal wines that are driven by a fresh, aromatic style that this vineyard delivers.

We farm organically (although not yet officially certified) and ferment simply. We don't fine our wines, sulphur is added in minimal amounts (although some wines receive none) and the wines receive a gentle filter prior to bottling. However, the approach is not one of minimal intervention – some of our varieties are co-fermented, others are not, the blending process is strategic and considered. Wines are driven by a vision of style, with each wine produced according to its style outcome and based on the individual qualities of the vineyard. This may involve different pruning techniques, green harvest or bunch thinning, differing dates for harvest, differing treatment of grapes pre-ferment, and then in the winery.

Duncan and Peter grew up immersed in a world of wine, olive oil, illegal goats cheese and great food. Both worked in kitchens from the age of 13 and developed a love of good food and an understanding of wine's role in bringing food to life. 

Duncan studied winemaking before leaving the area to make wine around Australia and the world from Tasmania, Margaret River, Chianti, Rhone and beyond. In 2016 he returned home to McLaren Vale. Peter left the area after university and spent time baking bread in different parts of France, shovelling croissants in Paris, making cider in Somerset, and raising Alpacas in Sussex before working in wine distribution in Melbourne for several years. In 2020 he returned home to McLaren Vale and they can’t understand why you would want to live anywhere else.  

CORIOLE

Founded by Hugh and Molly Lloyd in 1967, Coriole is a family-owned estate in the undulating hills of McLaren Vale, with the Lloyd family now into its second and third generations of management. The estate released its first wine in 1969 and has since become firmly established as one of the region’s leading producers, particularly with Shiraz, the major variety planted across its vineyards.

While Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache remain central to Coriole’s identity, the estate has long been an innovator. Since 1985, Coriole has been a pioneer of Sangiovese in Australia and has continued to explore Mediterranean varieties well suited to McLaren Vale’s climate, including Fiano, Nero d’Avola, Montepulciano and Piquepoul. The wines are generally made in a mid-weight style, with an emphasis on balance, drinkability and their suitability at the table.

The estate’s vineyards are predominantly planted on shallow terra rossa soils over limestone, with some vines dating back to 1919. Coriole owns or manages most of the vineyards from which it sources fruit, including sites across McLaren Vale, Blewitt Springs, Willunga and McLaren Flat. The vineyards are farmed organically without synthetic inputs, with individual blocks harvested and processed separately to capture the character of each site.

Winemaking combines traditional methods with a willingness to experiment. Red wines are primarily open fermented in stainless steel or old concrete tanks, with hand-plunged ferments and considered use of oak. This approach allows the fruit and vineyard character to remain central to the wines while giving Coriole room to explore new varieties and techniques.