SA: Adelaide Hills

Late bloomer

Circuiting the eastern boundary of the city of Adelaide, the Adelaide Hills are part of the Mount Lofty Ranges. Stretching from the Barossa and Eden Valleys in the north, to the boundaries of McLaren Vale and Langhorne Creek in the south, the Adelaide Hills is now one of South Australia’s largest and oldest wine regions.

The first vines were planted in the Hills in 1839, three years after South Australia was declared a state. A case of this wine was later shipped to Queen Victoria in 1844. The arrival of German pioneers began around 1842 and saw more plantings around the new settlement of Hahndorf. But the Hills region only really started to come into its own when Brian Croser founded Petaluma winery in 1976. The number of producers steadily grew, with now over fifty wineries and over 200 grape growers making this region’s highly esteemed fruit.

Cool charm and restful beauty

The Adelaide Hills is one of Australia’s most beautiful wine regions. Although just a short 20 minute drive above Adelaide’s CBD, the climate here is often five degrees cooler than on the neighbouring plains. This makes the Hills a popular haven - a charming refuge from Adelaide’s stifling summer heat.

Mount Lofty rises to over 700 metres and acts as a rain shadow to the arid plains to the east, trapping rain within its rolling hills. Vineyards are dotted across the region, down to heights of around 400 metres. And, with up to 1000mm annual rainfall - grapes in the Hills are chosen to take advantage of this elevation and moisture provision.

Sparkling delights

Adelaide Hills’ cool climate is perfect for growing apples, pears, strawberries and cherries. In these conditions, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay happily thrive. Indeed, local expressions of Sauv Blanc have soared to the point where they are considered one of Australia’s best, delivering great intensity and length. The region’s best examples include Shaw and Smith, and Geoff Weaver’s wines

But, it is local sparkling wines that are capturing most attention - justifiably increasing the region’s reputation:

• The high acid and earlier ripening Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are used to make a style that is extremely refined with long and lingering flavours. Petaluma’s Croser is a perfect example.
• Intensely aromatic Shiraz and Riesling, along with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Semillon and Viognier shows just how diverse and versatile the region’s sparkling produce has become.
• But perhaps most exciting for the consumer is the introduction of lesser-known, rare varieties from overseas. These emerging wines include Italian varieties such as Arneis, Sangiovese; and, Nebbiolo and Gruner Veltliner from Austria are being experimented with and the results are looking extremely promising.

There has never been a better time to take a drive up into the Adelaide Hills!