Some years ago, chief winemaker Chester Osborn, sought out additional premium Grenache fruit from McLaren Vale to meet the high demand for d'Arenberg’s Grenache-based wines. Amongst others, a particular vineyard planted thirty years ago with Grenache appeared promising. Last used for grape production two decades ago, the vineyard fell into neglect and was utilised as a horse paddock. Horses had trampled on the vines making them unproductive. Vine pruning occurred sporadically when the horses snacked on them. Long bracken ferns and native grasses up to a metre high entwined and hid the vines. The vines themselves resembled Medusa's hair – wild, thick, struggling and gnarled -- was the inspiration in the naming of this wine. Taming and rejuvenation of the vineyard occurred over several years with weeding, reposting, trellising and pruning undertaken.
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