Noon Winery

The history of Noon winery

David Noon purchased the land in McLaren Vale in 1967. The property was planted with almond and apricot trees and also included an old Grenache vineyard. He made a living as a teacher until his mid-40s; before he began making his own wine, he sold his grapes to other McLaren Vale winemakers.

A trip to the southern region of France changed his mind. He began setting aside small amounts of fruit for experimentation, purchased relevant books, and acquired a basket press in 1972 and a crusher in 1976. That same year, his first wine was released, marking the beginning of the family's wine business.

The wine was sold via a sign posted at the end of the driveway. His teenage children, neighbors, and friends pitched in to help with the small-scale production, and people simply came by to buy wine.

Drew Noon grew up on a farm and jumped right into the wine industry as soon as he graduated from school. After graduating from Roseworthy college, he worked at Tyrrell's in the Hunter Valley, which he described as an antidote to all the skills he had just learned. He then worked as a consultant in winemaking and viticulture in Victoria, and also spent some time working as a winemaker at Cassegrain.

In 1996, Drew and Raegan took over the winery from his parents, and from that vintage onward, winemaking became entirely his responsibility. Previously, the American importer had limited wine supply to approximately 100 cases, which kept prices high in the United States while older vintages remained in stock back home. Currently, about 20% of production is allocated for export and supplied to the United Kingdom, the United States, and other markets.

Six hectares, and a block from 1934

The Noon Winery's family vineyard, located on Rifle Range Road, covers approximately 6 hectares. At its heart lies Grenache, planted in 1934; these old vines with their gnarled branches form the core of McLaren Vale wine and are the first sight visitors encounter as they walk up the driveway.

The almond and apricot trees were removed relatively recently. In their place, Graciano, Shiraz, and Mourvèdre varieties were planted, covering an area of about 1.6 hectares.

However, the Reserve bottled wine is entirely different from the McLaren Vale wine. Shiraz and Cabernet are sourced from a single grower located in Langhorne Creek, south of McLaren Vale, a partnership that dates back to the early 1980s, when Noon began purchasing grapes from the old vines there. The approximately 1.6-hectare Shiraz vineyard was planted with ungrafted vines in 1962. Cabernet is produced from vines planted in 1972.

Why the range of wines changes from vintage to vintage

Noon Winery is nestled in the foothills of McLaren Vale, where the weather leaves no room for compromise. Year after year, the heat and rain have consistently determined what kind of wine will be produced.

Drew Noon presented a series of vintages that clearly illustrate this. In 2008, only Eclipse was produced; in 2009, a heat wave caused the total loss of the Grenache crop, resulting in no Eclipse production at all; in 2010, there was no Cabernet harvest at all, and in 2011, a year of heavy rain, the Shiraz grapes were affected by Botrytis.

However, this is not sufficient to guarantee the full lineup every vintage.

The grape varieties

Noon Winery cultivates only a few varieties, which are divided between the McLaren Vale main vineyard and the Langhorne Creek vineyard:

• Grenache: Planted in 1934, this is the oldest variety on the property.
• Shiraz: Grown in both the main vineyard and the Langhorne Creek vineyard.
• Cabernet Sauvignon: Produced exclusively in the Langhorne Creek vineyard.
• Graciano: A Spanish variety from Rioja, with only a few rows planted.
• Mourvèdre: Planted relatively recently alongside Graciano and Shiraz

Grenache and Shiraz form the core of the Eclipse blend, and in some years, Graciano is also included.

The winemaking

If you follow the driveway up to Noon Winery, the wine cellar is, quite literally, a garage. Inside, there are old wooden fermentation vats and a basket press named Ruby.

All work is done by hand, and the labor falls to the family members. Drew and Raegan manage the operation themselves, which, along with the size of the vineyard, is a key factor in strictly limiting wine production.

Although the vineyard does not pursue organic certification, it follows the principles of biodynamic farming, which minimizes the use of sprays.

The wine style here is no accident. Noon's wines are full-bodied with ripe flavors and tend to have a higher alcohol content. The winery candidly acknowledges that some consumers may find the flavors in the glass too intense. Their stated goal is to create wines with complex, rather than light, flavors that offer warmth and comfort when enjoyed with dinner.

The wines

Noon Winery produces only small quantities of wine per vintage. Two of these wines are labeled Reserve, and both are produced from the old Langhorne Creek vineyard:

• Shiraz Reserve: Produced from ungrafted vines planted in 1962
• Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve: Produced from vines planted in 1972

Alongside these is Eclipse, a McLaren Vale Grenache/Shiraz blend centred on vines from 1934, as well as Twelve Bells, another variant of Grenache Shiraz. Noon also bottles VP Shiraz, a port-style fortified wine, and occasionally releases Sparkling Reserve Shiraz. The winery also produces rosé wine, which is the only wine that does not fit the description of all red wines.

After the annual newsletter is sent out in October, the new product is first offered to customers on the mailing list; subsequently, the cellar door is open for three consecutive weekends with November, and purchase limits apply. Stock typically sells out quickly.