The South Australian Wine Story

Talking Points • McLaren Vale is one of the most geologically diverse wine regions in the world and its innovative Scarce Earth project gives wine lovers at all levels the opportunity to explore the relative influence of geology, soil, climate and topography onwine. Each year winemakers are encouraged to create a Shiraz made from a single vineyard bloc with a unique flavour profile and personality. • Frank Potts was a pioneer in more ways than one. Arriving in South Australia in the very year it was founded, he planted the first vineyard in what is now Langhorne Creek, adapted it to take advantage of the natural seasonal flooding of the Bremer River, and founded what was for many years the only functioning winery in the region. Five generations later, the family owned Bleasdale remains one of the region’s standouts. • Bert Salomon, the first importer of Australian wine into Austria, was so taken with South Australia that he now moves his family there for the first few months of each year while he oversees the production of wines for Salomon Estates winery in Currency Creek. Vintage over, he returns to the northern hemisphere to oversee his family winery. • Kangaroo Island’s showpiece is The Islander Estate Vineyards founded by high-profile Bordeaux winemaker Jacques Lurton, who saw something special in the local “terroir”. The principal varieties are Semillon, Shiraz and Cabernet Franc, and the wines are made and bottled on-site in true estate style. • McLaren Vale has a strong emphasis on the environment and sustainability. Many local growers have embraced alternative farming practices and improve traditional approaches, and have invested in reclaimed water for irrigation. The Regions McLaren Vale www.mclarenvale.info Area: 7324 hectares / Altitude: 50-200m Production: 80% red, 20% white Principal varieties: Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Grenache McLaren Vale is one of South Australia’s most prestigious and most picturesque regions. The unique marriage of a wine region and beach lifestyle has created a melting pot for all things culinary, vinous and artistic. It also is widely recognised as one of Australia’s greenest wine regions because of its efficient water use strategies and commitment to sustainability. There is substantial climatic variation across the region, depending on the degree of exposure to the cooling influence of the nearby ocean, and site selection and the matching of site to variety are all-important. A range of micro-climates provides for exciting varietal differences. Shiraz that can only be described as elegant is McLaren Vale’s traditional strength, but premium Grenache is attracting considerable attention. Older vines produce wines of great richness. Langhorne Creek www.langhornecreek.com Area: 6000 hectares / Altitude: 30m Production: 85% red, 15% white Principal varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz Australia’s fourth largest region by crush, Langhorne Creek has long been considered the best-kept secret of Australian wine. It’s a region of quiet achievers with a focus firmly on quality. The wines are renowned for their plush texture and bright, generous flavor. Langhorne Creek fruit forms the backbone of many of Australia’s most successful wine blends, including three successive Jimmy Watson Trophy wins for Wolf Blass. Nestled among majestic gum trees on the Bremer and Angas rivers, the region is temperate and maritime, influenced by the cool Southern Ocean and afternoon winds from the nearby Coorong and Lake Alexandrina which forms part of the region’s official boundary. More than 30 small wineries now operate in the region, alongside vineyards owned by Australia’s major brands. Red wines dominate, with Cabernet, Shiraz and Malbec being highly prized and richly rewarded. The region is also considered an incubator for emerging Mediterranean varietals, including Montepulciano, Fiano and Graciano. There are eight cellar doors in the region to visit, operating over seven days. The South Australian Wine Story 17 Image: South Australian TourismCommission