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Overview
Kangarilla Road was established by Helen and Kevin O'Brien in 1997. Kangarilla Road is the main road running past the vineyard towards the small village of Kangarilla, the name a derivation of the Australian Aboriginal language and refers to the abundance of resources locally.

Kevin O'Brien is an oenologist with 20 years experience in the wine industry. Helen O'Brien brings flair to Kangarilla Road and has extensive experience in the public relations, promotions and fashion industries.

Location

  • The winery and vineyard are nestled in the McLaren Ranges only a few kilometres from the McLaren Vale Township.
  • This positioning of the 30 acres encourages slower ripening of the fruit which helps to produce wines with finesse and elegance, yet with plenty of flavour.
  • The winery name relates to the road that runs past the vineyard on its way to the small township of Kangarilla.
  • Some vine plantings of Shiraz and Zinfandel date back to 1975.

Winemaking Style

  • The winery is a state of the art facility. It is no mistake that KR is rated as a 5 star winery, James Halliday.
  • At Kangarilla Road we stamp our own mark on the McLaren Vale wine style.
  • Our white wines are fragrant and aromatic and our reds are an elegant expression of a region renowned for its generosity.
  • Our winemaking approach begins in the vineyard where we nurture our vineyards using sustainable techniques including biodynamic and organic methods.
  • This encourages healthy soils and vines, which delivers fruit to our winery that is balanced and a true reflection of the vineyard and of the variety.
  • Once in the winery we concentrate on making wines that show finesse, balance and integrity of their variety and vineyard, without comprising their intensity, structure and the regions’ natural generosity.

McLaren Vale

  • McLaren Vale has a fairly typical Mediterranean climate. Warm summers and moderate winters prevail. The region benefits from the afternoon sea breezes directed onshore via some of Australia’s best beaches.
  • The wines of the region are renowned for their natural full flavour and generosity which are interwoven with a sumptuous mid palate and soft silky tannins.
  • In 1839, John Wingate McLaren surveyed a wide sprawling valley 40km south of Adelaide, which he named McLaren Vale.
  • In 1850 George Manning planted a vineyard called Hope Farm and others started planting in McLaren Vale soon there after.
  • The region has since flourished and grown into one of the world’s finest wine regions and are renowned for the consistency of their wines.

Reviews

  • 5 Star Winery – James Halliday Wine Companion 2010.
  • “Kevin O’Brien is a winemaker with a knack for turning out high quality efforts. These are all classic McLaren Vale cuvees with a sense of balance and restraint suggestive of European influence however there is no compromise of the wines flavours or ripeness levels.” Robert Parker
  • …” A rich blockbuster of a wine from one of my favourite McLaren Vale producers.” Review of the 2005 McLaren Vale Shiraz Tim Atkins UK wine writer
  • “The first thing that impresses about Kangarilla Road wines is the labels. Each has a stylish black-and-white depiction of the leaf belonging to the grape variety that produced the wine in the bottle. Line ‘em up and you’ll have a mini-lesson in ampelography. Once you taste the reds, it’s their excellent value for money that impresses.” Huon Hooke Sydney Morning Herald
  • “One of my favourite McLaren Vale wineries, Kangarilla Road offers very realistic prices for the quality of their wines” Robert Parker
  • Q McLaren Vale Shiraz 207. Excellent colour, half suggesting the inclusion of viognier; prolonged oak • ageing has not imposed itself on the wine, which is very intense, the quality particularly good for '07; lots of dark chocolate and fluffy tannins.
  • Biodynam. Rating 94. Drink 2022. Date Tasted Dec 2009.
  • The Devil's Whiskers McLaren Vale Shiraz 207. The elevated purple-crimson colour points to the 4% viognier inclusion, as does the aromatic bouquet; the palate has the dark chocolate and earth of the region, but there is a definite tweak from the viognier. Screwcap.14% alc Rating 94 Drink 2017 $32 Date Tasted Dec 09