Poppelvej
McLaren Vale, South Australia
It began back in 2016, when Uffe Deichmann lunged at the opportunity of 1T of McLaren Vale Grenache, picked with his wife Nicole - a romantic occasion (though Nicole may suggest otherwise) marking the inception of the 'Rookie' Grenache cuvée & thus, the foundation of the Poppelvej wines. Since then, the kaleidoscopic range has burgeoned into a vibrant tapestry of releases, each crafted with an unwavering commitment to purity & vigour, the hallmark characters of Poppelvej's vinous pursuits.
Uffe's heart remains firmly planted in McLaren Vale, nestled snugly at the base of the Willunga Foothills, where both the winery & the esteemed Paeroa vineyard call home. McLaren Vale basks in its Mediterranean microclimate, with balmy summers & mild winters reigning supreme. The region benefits from cooling sea breezes that sweep inland from the Gulf of St. Vincent, mitigating the intensity of the summer heat & providing relief to the vines. Uffe organically farms the Paeroa vineyard, and works with local growers for added diversity & colour in the cellar.
However, nowadays approx 50% of Poppelvej's wines hail from the Southern part of the Adelaide Hills, particularly from likeminded growers in Kuitpo Forest. Tucked away to the east of Adelaide, Kuitpo Forest boasts a terroir characterised by its unique combination of elevation, close proximity to the Southern Ocean, and it’s diverse soil compositions (sandy loams to clay loams, with pockets of gravel & underlying limestone). This maritime influence, paired with elevation & mineral driven soils, helps to maintain freshness in the fruit & preserve natural acidity in what is typically a prolonged growing season, contributing to the vibrant & balanced DNA of these wines.
Uffe is perhaps the sweetest metal-head I know. And it’s not a visit to the Vale if you haven’t listened to Led Zeppelin's entire discography, thunderous Black Sabbath riffs, or perhaps the expanding fractal matter of Tool’s Lateralus, whereby the Fibonacci sequence resonates at the core of the album & we’re soon reminded that the same sequence is apparent all around us. Specifically in nature & the geometric shapes of fermentation… a quick hop, skip & a jump through the winery & vineyard only complements this fact. It's these musical characters that impart an edge to these wines & charge the winemaking process.
