Advertiser Newspaper – 24th November 2009 – Alexandra Economou

McLaren Vale’s Haselgrove Wines will expand its production and storage facilities, as the winery shifts its focus to small-batch premium winemaking.

The expansion plans were part of a review of Haselgrove’s operations, which began last year after BankWest sold the winery to a group of businessmen.  The new owners included Festival City Wines managing director Don Totino.

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A famous McLaren Vale winery now boasts Italian magic, writes Tony Love

The Advertiser – Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Today we’ll speak only Italian.  The words, a wicked smile, and a jab in the ribs come from prominent Italian businessman Don Totino, who owns the food-and-wine distribution company Festival City. Don also owns a wine company, Totino, based in the Adelaide Hills, and in the past two years he has joined three other southern Italian-Australian business identities in breathing life back into Haselgrove, set in the midriff of the McLaren Vale wine region.

The Haselgrove family brand has a history stretching back a century, but in the past two decades it struggled and found itself taken over by Bankwest in 2002, until early 2008. Grasping the potential of the name, Read the rest of this page »

1 H by Haselgrove 2008 Shiraz
$9-$12
The start-up range from this McLaren Vale collection, with a solid wave of shiraz fruit and lifted fragrance, as well as earthy touches and complexity. The H level cabernet merlot is quite a serious wine, too.

2 Haselgrove Primo Taglio (First Cut) 2008 Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon
$15-$19
Everything you could want from this blend, with lemon curd and tropical juices coming together as a classic dry white with a spike of soursob.

3 Haselgrove 2007 IL Padrone Shiraz
$50
Fruit from gnarly old vines goes into making this bright, beautiful shiraz with elements of coffee and mocha underneath a lovely violet lifted aroma. Lively, fresh and vivacious.

The Advertiser – Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Tony Love – National Wine Editor for taste.com.au and The Advertiser Newspaper, SA.

Wholesome Flavour $12
H by Haselgrove 2009 Cabernet Merlot

With a winery based in McLaren Vale, most of the fruit for this crackingly good wine comes from around the same region, with a decent splash also from the Adelaide Hills and Padthaway.  It’s worth noting its great fruit too, beautifully blackcurranty with a satisfyiung wholeness, good structure and backbone to develop for a few years yet.  A brilliant bargain.

Rating:  4 glasses – A cut above
Value:  Sensational
Food:  Black olive braised beef

Ross Noble – Wine Writer for The Courier Newspaper, Adelaide Hills, SA.

Eighteen top wines for Father’s Day
Salute:  Bella Vigna Shiraz

Haselgrove was acquired by four Italian Australians in 2008.  Greg Clack is chief winemaker.  The Haselgrove Bella Vigna Beautiful Vineyard Shiraz 2009 is sourced from some of McLaren Vale’s best vineayrds and it shows in the depth of flavour.  There are ripe raspberry and blackberry aromas and falvours and well intergrated oak.  It is a rich, and rewarding wine that deserves prime beef or game, or maybe full flavoured cheeses.
$25 – Mail Order