General Reviews
November 2011 - Steve Pannell named as Bushing King for 2011 - On the Coast
"At the annual CARTeSIAN McLaren Vale Bushing Lunch on October 28, Steve Pannell was announced as the 2011 Bushing King for his 2010 SC Pannell Tempranillo Touriga. "
November 15, 2011 - Emissaries of taste - theage.com.au
"McLaren Vale-based Stephen Pannell is thankful his region enjoys a Mediterranean climate perfect for grenache and tempranillo. He's masterful with both, as proved by his S.C. Pannell range."
November 2011 - Regional Wines shine in the Vale - On the Coast
November 2011 - Bushing King - The Advertiser
"Steve Pannell and his wife Fiona, are kicking up their heels after their wine Bushing Festival win at McLaren Vale at the weekend. He was crowned for his 2010 Tempranillo Touriga, an unusual blend for the Shiraz - hugging wine makers of McLaren Vale. "
January 2010 - WBM, 50 Stars of 2009
"Stephen Pannell made this last year but we had to include him again because he's enjoyed another fruitful year on the show circuit including Best Italian Varietal, Best Red Wine and Best Wine of Show."
11/11/2009 - Adelaide Advertiser
"Stephen Pannell was rightfully chuffed to claim three trophies with his 2007 Adelaide Hills Nebbiolo. The wine took out best Italian varietal, best red and top wine of the show."
Touriga Tempranillo
October 2011, Gourmet Traveller, Nick Ryan2009 Vintage - "If I was an under-appreciated variety like touriga trying to make my way in a big harsh wolrd then I'd be hoping to have someone with the masterful touch of Steve Pannell in my corner… If you think touriga is only good for fortified, and tempranillo in Australia has yet to float your boat then this is the wine that will break down those pre-conceptions before the first glass is drained."
Shiraz
December 2007, Adelaide Review, Nick Stock2005 Vintage - "Dark spices and a little pepper roll through rich fruit flavour, the tannins build and build, gathering weight and pace through the finish, stylishly balanced. "
Shiraz Grenache
2007 Shiraz Grenache – 96 points, Nick Stock - 2011 Good Wine Guide
2007 Vintage - "Steve Pannell’s sensitively attuned shiraz grenache is showing elegant, bright red fruits and plums, licorice and earth – really settling in to the start of a happy journey to deep complexity. Smooth and fine tannin-lined palate unleashes evenly placed red- and dark-fruit flavour amid regional dark chocolate and red licorice. It winds out into an impossibly long finish – old vines and soft hands add up to great wine."
December 2007, Adelaide Review - Wine of the Year, Nick Stock
2005 Vintage - "The palate is meticulously crafted, tannins move in three dimensions, perfectly placed and impeccably balanced, a ringing endorsement of the virtues of blending. A benchmark for the region and a fine example of just how outstanding and unique South Australian wine can be. Truly world class."
2007, Jukes
2005 Vintage - "It's the sort of wne you should drop into a dinner party between two regognised heroes and watch people scratch their heads in disbelief. Pannell has got it, whatever'it' is and this wine has 'it' in spades."
April 2010, Gary Vaynerchuk - tv.winelibrary.com
2006 Vintage - "This wine is outrageously polished and very very smooth, with so much fruit coming through. What I really like about this wine is its finish. A rollercoaster of fruit followed by secondary flavours... Very refined 91+ wine, big bold, big fruit, great long finish. It will pair or drink great by itself."
December 2009, Wine100
2007 Vintage - Nick Stock"This regionally styled blend shows elegant red fruits, plums, licorice and earth. Not overbearring, just good-hearted, fruit-driven style that's easy to evolve neatly. A smooth sleeve of tannin carries even-paced red and dark fruit flavour, dark chocolate and red licorice."
Gary Vee reviews the 2006 S.C. Pannell Shiraz Grenache
May 2010, Matthew Jukes Top 100 Best Australian Wines
2007 Vintage - "Served blind, against three top Barolos and another extremely expensive rival Aussie Nebbiolo, this wine trounced the lot of them with its devastating truffle and blackberrry aromas and finely judged, refreshing tannins. Steve is obsessive about his Neb - one has to be with this exciting grape variety - but he shouldn't lose a moment's sleep this year, because this is the finest Australian Nebbiolo I have ever tasted."
May 2010, Delicious
2007 Vintage - "Stephen Pannell's Adelaide Hills Nebbiolo attempts to tame this butch red grape from Piedmont in Northern Italy. It has typically pale colour, and a fascinating nose reminiscent of licorice, flowering heather and cherries. Keep it for five years to soften and evolve completely."
1/1/2010, Sumptuos, Nick Stock
2007 Vintage - "One of the star players in the emerging band of Adelaide Hills Nebbiolo makers, Pannell's 07 is as ethereal and fragrant as we've yet seen. Classic rose petals and gentle spice on the nose - the palate is a fine, measured essay in tannin structure."
Issue 26 2009, Andrew Jefford, The World of Fine Wine
2007 Vintage - "A Galapagos finch of a wine... Bravo! Pure wine for food - and for thought."
27/11/2009, Australian Financial Review, Phillip Rich
2007 Vintage - Top 20 Wines of the Year
"This year's list includes wines from producers that have put a lot of effort in focussing on what goes in the bottle."
11/11/2009, Weekly Times, Sandra Godwin
2007 Vintage - "A Nebbiolo from the Adelaide Hills stole the show at the Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show in Mildura."
11/11/2009, food4media.com
2007 Vintage - S.C. Pannell Treble Trophy Triumph at Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show
"The S.C. Pannell Adelaide Hills Nebbiolo triumphed by claiming three trophies - Best Italian Varietal, Best Red Wine and Best Wine of Show."
Grenache
February 2011, James Halliday, Weekend Australian
2009 Vintage - "This is the first 100% grenache released since '06, an indication of the high standards Pannell sets for his wines. It is an extraordinary wine, with pinot-like fragrance and perfume. 96 points"
August 2011, Jane Faulkner Halliday, Saturay Age
2009 Vintage - "Stephen Pannell is a champion of grenache. His is a dry-grown old vine grenache, 100 percent, so it's full of bright raspberry and dark briary fruit, really floral yet has all the seductive spice and verve of this variety. Grainy fine tannins, medium-bodied to a persisting long finish, make it outstanding."
March 27, 2010, The Age
2006 Vintage - "It's pretty and aromatic, laced with cherry fruit; pippy on the palate, medium bodied with those grainy tannis and grip adding to it's moreish character. Terrific length, and will evolve beautifully."
Rose
February 2011, James Halliday, Weekend Australian
2010 Vintage - "Vibrant puce in colour, it has brightly fragrant raspberry and Turkish Delight aromas, then crisp and crunchy red fruits on the palate with texture to burn; a bone-dry finish rounds off a very distinguished - and different - rose. 95 points"
2009, Matt Skinner - Uncorked
2009 Vintage - "From its intense colour to its nose of berried fruit, juicy apples and spring flowers, there is plenty to love."
10/11/2009, Brisbane Courier Mail, Fiona Donnelly
2009 Vintage - "It's bone dry but fruity, with red currant and wild strawberries and some herbs on the nose. It's a great wine I'd happily drink all day."
04/10/2009, Matt Skinner, The Sun Herald
2009 Vintage - "Fluroescent pink colour leads to a bright and armoatiic nose of sweet summer berries and juicy red apples. Packed with flavour, the palate pulls up dry, thanks to zippy acidity and the faintest lick of tannin. Drink it with chargrilled squid straight from the barbeque."
Sauvignon Blanc
29/08/2011, Louise Radman
2011 Vintage - "This blast of fresh air and sunshine is a highlight of the 2011 vintage from icon winemaker and all round great guy, Steve Pannell. He’s ventured up to the Adelaide Hills in search of crisp and zesty sauvignon and boy has he found it! An energising number that hits you with varietal herbaceous lift and waves of lively lemongrass and guava. Green apple tones and snap pea crunch are pure tantalising bliss, bring on the taste of Spring."
23/01/2010, The Age
2009 Vintage - "This is the type of sauvignon blanc I like to drink as it's not obvious but it's obviously ultra-fresh with more a citrus spectrum than tropical fruit. Delicious."
December 2007, Adelaide Review, Nick Stock
2007 Vintage - "Charming balance and good fruit concentration, this is one of the best new whites around."
2007, Jukes
2007 Vintage - "Delightful powder puff explosions of fairy-light, meadow flower aromas and lime blossom flavours signal a fresh, clean, finely crafted SB... Drink it as soon as you've bought it (although do wait until you get out of the car)."
Pronto Tinto
June 2011, Top Drops, Peter Forrestal
2008 Vintage - "WA-born Stephen Pannell is one of the country’s finest winemakers. This red blend of Portuguese and Spanish varieties - grenache, mourvedre, touriga and syrah is very savoury (non-fruity) and textural. It’s bold, dense, seamless, velvety smooth and seductive current drinking."
December 2007, Adelaide Review, Nick Stock
2006 Vintage - "It's a bright young thing, boasting fragrant red fruits and liquorice, made to a medium bodied style so you can really drink it. raw and appealing."
Pronto Bianco
February 2011, James Halliday, Weekend Australian
2010 Vintage - "It has a complex amalgam of wild herbs, citrus and stone fruit with a fleeting touch of lavender. 93 points"
2010, Matt Skinner
2010 Vintage - "A regular summer favourite in the Skinner house, the latest edition of Pronto Bianco... dishes up plenty of bright orchard fruit and green leafy herbs on the nose..."
2010, Joelle Thomson
2009 Vintage - "Pronto is an apt name for a wine served to people who just want to arrive somewhere. And this blend of riesling, pinot gris and sauvignon blanc is light and delicious"
14/03/2009, Weekend Herald Sun - EAT - Bob Hart
2008 Vintage - "The outstanding wine list here features some stunning drops ... we began with perhaps the most interesting of them all - a dazzling 2008 Pronto Bianco
