Purple Hands Wines

Established in 2006, Purple Hands is the result of a long-term friendship, a shared love of wine and the ideal 20 acre Shiraz vineyard in the Barossa Valley.

Just northwest of Williamstown, in a cooler part of the southern Barossa, is perfect Shiraz dirt of friable, red clay over limestone. The vineyard was planted in 2000 and the conversation began about starting a wine business or selling the fruit. A small trial vintage in 2006 had very encouraging results and the decision was made.

Craig Stansborough’s day job is Chief Winemaker with Grant Burge Wines and partner-in-wine, Mark Slade, is an electronics engineer by trade. Craig obviously makes the wine and Mark is charged with making the rest of the business happen. In addition to the Shiraz, they have access to some stunning old vine Grenache and Mataro that completes their red wine portfolio. Pinot Gris from the Adelaide Hills provides the perfect white foil.

While the world of wine is a slow one, they were off to a flying start. Their first entry into the Barossa Wine Show in 2010 resulted in Gold Medals for both the 2008 Shiraz and 2009 Old Vine Grenache, which also picked up the Trophy for Best Grenache. Accolades kept coming with Australia’s most revered wine critic, James Halliday, granting them 5 star status in the 2013 Wine Companion Halliday  and saying in part “they are producing outstanding single vineyard wines (the Grenache is contract-grown) of quite remarkable elegance.”

Their range is limited by choice and production small, but with the utmost care in the vineyard and winery they aim to showcase not only the Barossa but also their own special patch of dirt.

Connoisseur Club Members  are welcome for 15% off wines and free freight, minimum 1 dozen bottles.