about JIM JIM

G’day friends, welcome to my Down-Underdog website. You may think that a dog’s life is all wine & skittles down under, but in fact I have a full time job putting things right around here. There are pesky birds to be cleared, rabbits to be chased, kangaroos to shoo, traffic to be managed and PR duties at the cellar door.  And then, of course, there are the grapes. I’m into Shiraz in a big way myself, so come vintage time, you’ll find me full time in the vineyard. Grape testing is my talent. It’s as much art as science to know when to pick grapes so you’ll see me nibbling the berries to test the “brix”. That’s wine-speak for the level of sweetness which is essential for flavor. Once they’re right you can see me ripping into those bunches signalling it’s time to crank up the harvest. The great McLaren Vale Shiraz vintage is under way.

McLaren Vale, where I live, is one of Australia’s premium wine regions and is home to some of the best Shiraz in this country and the world! It is located just to the south of Adelaide, the capital of South Australia on the beautiful and geographically diverse Fleurieu Peninsula. The township of McLaren Vale is 22 miles (37km) from the center of Adelaide.
 

The McLaren Vale Wine Region is located close to the south coast with wonderful beaches and crystal clear waters. There are plenty of great tourist attractions in my region. People get up to all sorts of mischief around here - producing gourmet foods, boating, catching some of Australia’s best eating fish, diving on shipwrecks, avoiding Great White sharks, whale watching to name but a few. Personally, for relaxation, it’s the beach for me. I love chasing seagulls along the beaches and going for swims. Keep in mind my heritage. My Mom was a Labrador and my Dad was a Kelpie.
 

McLaren Vale is really diverse with lots of mini climates and soil types (great for burying bones and growing grapes). The closeness to the sea has a big influence on the climate and all these things shape how the grapes produce such flavorsome wines down here.

This is God’s own country for growing grapes and being a dog.

My promise is that when you open a bottle of Jim Jim you will drink amazing quality wine from 100% premium district fruit.