In South Australia, the mallee —a term used to describe towering trees and shrubs with stems emerging from the ground—dominated much of the landscape. Cultivating and tilling these lands proved to be an exceedingly arduous task as these massive roots had to be uprooted (a labor-intensive and costly endeavor). Consequently, the government offered a reward of 200 pounds to anyone who could invent an efficient machine to overcome this challenge. The Smith brothers achieved this with the Stump Jump, a plough that allowed for the soil to be worked while navigating around these roots (Richard Bowyer Smith invented it and Clarence Herbert Smith refined it). D'Arenberg The Stump Jump GSM pays tribute to this invention.
D'Arenberg The Stump Jump GSM is a red wine crafted with Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre by the D’Arenberg winery, located in the McLaren Vale, South Australia. Interestingly, the plough's inventor had poor eyesight and had to visit the optometrist frequently to ensure he could operate the machinery. This anecdote inspired the label of this wine, which originates from the vineyards of McLaren Vale, about 30 minutes from the city of Adelaide. In this coastal strip, the vines thrive on a diverse array of soils (including marl, sand, clay, and limestone), under a Mediterranean climate (with very hot summers and mild winters). The proximity of the Indian Ocean ensures the influence of sea breezes, which bring moisture and temper the heat, ensuring the smoothness of the tannins.
The grapes for D'Arenberg The Stump Jump GSM are tasted in the vineyard where, after a stroll, Chester Osborn (the winery's oenologist and fourth-generation family member) decides on a harvest date for each plot (which boasts organic and biodynamic certifications). For D'Arenberg The Stump Jump GSM, the grapes come from very old vines. Upon arrival at the winery, the grapes are gently crushed and transferred to open stainless steel fermenters. Here, fermentation takes place, followed by basket pressing, a more labor-intensive process but one that yields high-quality results (imparting a unique character to the wines), which has become a hallmark of D’Arenberg. After this process, D'Arenberg The Stump Jump GSM is racked into oak barrels, where it will mature for a period before the final blending and bottling.