The South Australian Wine Story

Talking Points • Wynns Coonawarra Estate is clearly in very good hands. Gourmet Traveller Wine magazine previously recognised chief winemaker Sue Hodder and vineyard manager Allen Jenkins as joint winners of its Winemaker of the Year Award. • Tapanappa is one of the most interesting recent wine ventures anywhere in Australia. A successful Wrattonbully vineyard was totally reworked by Australian wine leader Brian Croser. • Cape Jaffa Wines in Mt Benson applied the techniques of German philosopher Rudolf Steiner to establish the Limestone Coast’s first biodynamic vineyard in 2003. A decade later winemaker Anna Hooper was named South Australian Rural Woman of the Year for her vision to help the wine industry become a world environmental leader. • Nangwarry Station in the Mt Gambier region includes large tracts of wetlands and conservation areas. • Many Wrattonbully vineyards sit above naturally-formed limestone caves. The nearby Naracoorte caves are World Heritage Listed • Sue Bell at Bellwether Wines has developed a glamping accommodation facility attracting tourists to the region for short stays and long lunches. The Regions Coonawarra www.coonawarra.org Area: 5823 hectares / Altitude: 60m Production: 90% red, 10% white Principal varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot, Chardonnay Coonawarra, the Limestone Coast’s largest and most prestigious region, is home to the zone’s oldest recorded vineyards (three hectares of Shiraz planted in the 1890s) and to the most celebrated vineyard soil in Australia. Shiraz is still important – due in no small measure to the achievements of Wynns Coonawarra Estate – but Cabernet Sauvignon really defines the region. The flavours range from blackberry to blackcurrant, with an underlying theme of quality and elegance. Tannins are dominant but never dominate. These are some of the best Cabernet Sauvignon wines in the world. Merlot is on the rise, often for careful blending with Cabernet or Shiraz, and the whites should not be ignored. Modern Chardonnays and fragrant Rieslings are worthy of attention. Padthaway www.padthawaywineregion.com Area: 4150 hectares / Altitude: 50m Production: 60% red, 40% white Principal varieties: Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Riesling Padthaway is a little hillier than the Coonawarra and the weather somewhat warmer, but otherwise the climate patterns are similar. It has a very diverse and site-specific range of soils, providing outstanding opportunities for blending. This has traditionally been a red wine region, but today Chardonnay ranks a very close third to Cabernet Sauvignon (with Shiraz at the head of the pack) and Riesling is increasingly to the fore. The two major red varieties are made both as varietals and as blends, often with Merlot. Pockets of Viognier, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir also can be found, and new varieties include Viognier, Traminer, Malbec and Cabernet Franc, to name a few. A number of major brands can be found in Padthaway, but much of the region’s growth as a producer of high-quality wines has come from the investment of smaller grower / winemakers, many with family ties to the region. Padthaway Estate has one of the oldest Champagne-style basket presses inAustralia. 20 The South Australian Wine Story