An overview of wine from South Australia
South Australia is the wine capital of the vast country. The undulating landscape of hills, valleys and plateaus results in an eclectic selection of wine styles from refreshing Riesling to concentrated Shiraz. Moreover, maritime influences from the Indian Ocean play a vital role in moderating the summer heat in some South Australian wine districts.
In 1836, John Barton Hack planted vine cuttings in a plot of land called Chichester Gardens. In establishing a thriving enterprise in the 19th century, Hack believed that South Australia’s climate was suited to producing high-quality wine. He was right; its vineyards in south-eastern Australia are now responsible for just over half of the nation’s total volume. By the 1980s, wine exports from South Australia were soaring. From Barossa Valley Shiraz to McLaren Vale Sangiovese, there is no lack of choice in ‘The Lucky Country’.
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Key regions
Barossa Valley
Situated northeast of Adelaide, Barrosa Valley is home to many of Australia’s biggest brands: Penfolds, Wolf Blass and Jacob’s Creek. However, Barossa is Australia’s biggest high-quality wine district, with an abundance of boutique and family-owned winery businesses.
Barossa became prominent in the early 20th century, after German-speaking migrants left Poland to seek a better life Down Under. They planted Riesling, native to their homeland and Shiraz, a popular variety in Germany, originating from the Côtes du Rhône. These varieties have become Barrosa’s signature exports. The region’s vineyards flank the North Para River, spreading eastwards toward Eden Valley. In the east Barossa ranges, the high altitudes provide diurnal temperature variation, which helps to maintain freshness and acidity in the grapes. Although the nights can be quite cool in the region, summer days are typically hot and dry. Barossa’s centenarian bush vines yield concentrated wine with incredible potency and character. The best examples can surpass Hermitage (Northern Rhône) in depth and complexity.
However, Barossa’s wine industry is more diverse than is commonly acknowledged. Winegrowers are proud of their exceptional Grenache, Mourvedre and Cabernet Sauvignon. The latter grape thrives on Barossa’s iconic dark-brown soils. Meanwhile, when planted on clay-limestone, Sémillon can produce perfumed and rich white wine. Regionality is becoming important in the wine region; growers are increasingly referencing vineyard names and districts on their bottles.
Key grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Grenache, Mourvedre, Sémillon, Shiraz, Riesling and Viognier.
Eden Valley
country estates and eucalyptus groves. In the late sixties, Polish immigrants arrived in the valley and decided to plant Riesling. Eden Valley Riesling has become a household name, famous for its pungency and verve.
Eden Valley has long been regarded as an extension of its more famous neighbour: Barossa Valley. Yet its traditions and mesoclimate are quite different; it was awarded independent GI status in the late 90s. Eden Valley vineyards are generally planted at higher altitudes in the south-eastern half of the wine region. This has a decisive impact on the South Australian wine style; grapes ripen more slowly in the cooler climate. Aromatic Riesling is the signature export, although Eden Valley Shiraz is equally fine.
Key grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Shiraz and Riesling
Clare Valley
Clare Valley is another of South Australia’s viticultural wonders. Like Eden Valley, its reputation rests on making fresh and aromatic Riesling. Prestigious winegrowers from Alsace and Germany regard Clare Valley Riesling as the formative New World benchmark.
Clare Valley is the state’s northernmost vineyard, situated 80 miles north of Adelaide. The landscape consists of narrow valleys on an elevated plateau. Both altitude and soil can vary across the region, ranging from the Terra Rossa (soft red clay over limestone) in the south to the metamorphic slate of Polish Hill River. The northern section of the wine region enjoys a warmer mesoclimate, although the elevation encourages diurnal temperature variation, mitigating some of that warmth. As a result, Australian wine from Clare Valley is fresh and vibrant.
Clare Valley winemakers are multitalented, able to craft a range of white and red styles. These include aromatic Cabernet Sauvignon and racy Shiraz. Excellent acidity and aromatics are their trademarks.
Key grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Riesling
McLaren Vale
Known as Adelaide’s ‘backyard’, McLaren Vale is increasingly responsible for some of Australia’s best wines. Its vineyards are found on the city’s southern outskirts, in a geographical area known as the Fleurieu Zone. McLaren Vale is at the heart of the Fleurieu Peninsula, running southwest from Adelaide to Kangaroo Island. Breezes that drift in from the Gulf of St Vincent are a vital part of the quality equation here, as diurnal temperature variation is minimal. At least 80 winery locations are based in McLaren Vale, and their output is astonishingly eclectic. Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Primitivo, Tempranillo and Vermentino all thrive in this corner of South Australia, in addition to the established classics – Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Grenache.
Sandy-clay terroir produces concentrated and intensely aromatic red wine in the northern section of McLaren Vale. The Grenache can be reminiscent of Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the southern Rhône. The Shiraz, meanwhile, offers fresh acidity and supple tannins. Local white wines are typically ripe and full-bodied, while Adelaide Hills offers up vibrant and crisp sparkling wines with perfectly balanced acidity, owing to its altitude.
Key grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Grenache, Mourvedre, Shiraz, Sauvignon Blanc
South Australia’s other regions
Coonawarra
Coonawarra’s secret weapon is Terra Rossa: crumbly red soil over free-draining limestone bedrock. This terroir produces some of Australia’s finest Cabernet Sauvignon wines, although the Shiraz and Merlot are just as renowned. The vineyards are situated 250 miles south of Adelaide; isolated and remote, Coonawarra is blessed with a very favourable climate; winegrowers take full advantage of Antarctic currents that send cooling breezes into Coonawarra, keeping grape acidity well-balanced. Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon is medium-bodied, fresh and minty.
Key grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz and Chardonnay
Langhorne Creek
The arrival of efficient irrigation systems in the 1990s saw a rapid expansion in Langhorne Creek. Lake Alexandrina also relieves the arid climate; winegrowers owe much to the afternoon breezes that drift off the lake. Combined with the alluvial soils, these factors allow producers to fashion a range of excellent red and white wines. Soft tannins and a voluptuous body are easily achieved in this part of South Australia.
Key grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz and Chardonnay
Mount Gambier
Mount Gambier is a relatively new face in the Limestone Coast wine region. Vines were first planted in this south-east corner of South Australia in 1982, introduced by dairy farmers who desired a career change. There are now over 20 family-run winery businesses in the region: producing a tiny volume of fine wine. Critics have claimed that this outpost is too cool to ripen Cabernet Sauvignon; however, some fresh and elegant wines have emerged. Though it is the region’s Pinot Noir that is truly impressive. The best wines offer an attractive bouquet of crushed red berries and ripe tannins with good length; it’s certainly one to watch.
Key grape varieties: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir
Related Pages
An insider’s guide to wine from Western Australia
An insider’s guide to Australian wine: New South Wales