Zonte’s Step offers special deal on McLaren Vale and Barossa shiraz in wake of China tariff war on wine

China’s ramping up of import tariffs on Australian wine means excellent drops like these McLaren Vale and Barossa reds and whites are selling here more cheaply than ever.

Well-balanced, food-friendly wines.

China’s ramping up of import taxes on Australian wine means excellent drops are still selling here more cheaply than ever.

The Australian Wine Club’s deal of the week reflects this reality: we’re offering gold-medal winning wines from McLaren Vale winery Zonte’s Footstep for about $20 a bottle (that’s a discount of just over 30 per cent) – and we’re throwing in a $40 a bottle of seriously good Barossa shiraz free. “In 35 years in the wine business, I’ve never seen so many vineyards for sale,’’ Zonte’s Footstep owner Brad Rey told me. “It’s a tough time, but you do what you have to do to get through it.”

Zonte’s has been selling well-balanced, food-friendly wines for 20 years, sourcing their fruit from high-quality vineyards in McLaren Vale, the Barossa Valley, the Adelaide Hills and Langhorne Creek.

But how did the name come about? Brad and his mates first began sourcing wine from a vineyard in Langhorne Creek that had been originally planted in 1893 to a table grape called Zante.

Because you are not legally allowed to mention a grape variety on a wine label unless it’s contained in the wine, they decided to change the “a” to an “o” and Zonte’s was born. When the group began working in this vineyard, it discovered boulders containing the footprints of the largest marsupial known to have ever lived, the Diprotodon. “Footstep” was added to Zonte’s and the journey began.

Here’s the line-up of excellent reds and whites on offer, starting with the complimentary Barossa shiraz included in these selected deals.

Zonte’s Footstep Baron Von Nemesis Barossa Valley Shiraz 2019

Rich and lusciously intense. Classic Barossa, with all the trimmings. Dark chocolate, blood plums, Christmas pudding spice and vanilla aromas whet the appetite. Fleshy and generous fruit flavours flow across the palate: think blackberries, plums, mulberries and raspberries, with dark cocoa, coconut and hints of licorice. Powerful with juicy acidity. Trophy for Best Shiraz at Critics Challenge 2022; Gold medal at the European Wine Challenge. 14.5% alc; RRP $40 a bottle.

Specials $24.99 in any dozen; one bottle FREE with Zonte’s red and white dozens.

Zonte’s Footstep Chocolate Factory McLaren Vale Shiraz 2019

 

One of our club’s biggest-selling shiraz. Named for its signature milk chocolate core, this McLaren Vale classic melds dark cherries and plums with blackforest cake and mocha to create a seam of rich velvet coursing to a long finish. Beautifully made. Double Gold and seven Golds. 95 points from Wine Showcase magazine. 14.5% alc; RRP $30 a bottle.

Specials $19.99 in any dozen; $21.50 a bottle in Zonte’s red dozen.

Zonte’s Footstep Lake Doctor Langhorne Creek Shiraz Viognier 2018

From a vineyard on the shores of Langhorne Creek’s Lake Alexandrina. Plum, pepper spice and a touch of chocolate and vanilla on the nose; juicy red fruits, blackberries, tangy cedar, dried spice and earthy characters on the palate. Crowd- pleaser. Partner with barbecued lamb kebabs. Seven Gold medals, 94 points from Wine Showcase magazine. 14.5% alc; RRP $30 a bottle.

Specials $19.99 in any dozen; $21.50 a bottle in Zonte’s red dozen.

Zonte’s Footstep Blackberry Patch Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Fruit from a block in McLaren’s Blewitt Springs sub-region and a block in Langhorne Creek combine to create this intense, deep-flavoured cabernet. Lifted aromas of blackberry, tobacco, blackcurrant and hint of strawberry and licorice; ripe blackberries and cigar box, olive and tomato bush characters on a plush palate. 96 points Winestate Magazine; 94 Halliday points. Exceptional value. 14% alc; RRP $30 a bottle.

Specials $19.99 in any dozen; $21.50 a bottle in Zonte’s red dozen.

Zonte’s Footstep Canto di Lago Fleurieu Sangiovese Lagrein 2019

An Italian-inspired blend of sangiovese and lagrein, known for producing wines with high natural acid and dark, plummy, earthy characters. Here sangiovese’s brambly red fruits (cherries and strawberries) combine to produce a silky, medium-bodied gem. Matured in new and seasoned French oak. Chargrilled Scotch fillet please. 94 Halliday points. 14% alc; RRP $30 a bottle.

Specials $21.99 in any dozen; $21.50 a bottle in Zonte’s red dozen.

Zonte’s Footstep Excalibur Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2022

“Leap-from-the-glass” aromatics of gooseberries, lemons and limes dance against a grassy herbal background. Crisp and tangy palate; citrus and tropical fruits swim along a refreshing line of natural acid. Gold medal winner. 13% alc; RRP $27.50 a bottle.

Specials $19.99 in any dozen; $21.50 a bottle in Zonte’s white dozen.

Zonte’s Footstep Lady Marmalade Vermentino 2021

A citrus bomb: lemon, lime and grapefruit on the nose; Granny Smith apple, lemon and pineapple flavours on the palate. Crisp, zesty and zingy – as a good vermentino should be. Perfect for light sipping on a sunny afternoon. Gold. 11.5% alc; RRP $27.50 a bottle.

Specials $19.99 in any dozen; $21.50 a bottle in Zonte’s white dozen.

Zonte’s Footstep Lady of the Lake Fleurieu Viognier 2021

Viognier connoisseurs, come right up. The Lady is singing apricot, ground ginger and honeysuckle notes. Flavours of apricots and citrus open up to creamy notes of almond and ginger spice. Nice palate weight. Double gold; 94 points Winestate magazine. 13.5% alc; RRP $30 a bottle.

Specials $21.99 in any dozen; $21.50 a bottle in Zonte’s white dozen.

SPECIAL RED DOZENThree bottles each of the Chocolate Factor, Lake Doctor, Blackberry Patch and Canto di Lago, $21.50 a bottle. PLUS one free bottle of Baron Von Nemesis. TOTAL: $258 a dozen.

SPECIAL WHITE DOZEN Four bottles of each white wine, $21 a bottle. PLUS one free bottle of Baron Von Nemesis. TOTAL: $258 a dozen.

MIXED RED & WHITE 15-BOTTLE DEALTwo bottles of each wine, $21 a bottle.

PLUS one free bottle of Baron Von Nemesis. TOTAL: $294 a dozen

Order online or telephone [phone] Monday to Friday, from 9am to 5pm AEST. Deals are available only while stocks last. The Australian Wine Club is a commercial partnership with Laithwaites Wine, LIQP770016550.