South Australia
| McLaren Vale| Padthaway | Coonawarra | Magill Estate (Adelaide) |
Clare Valley, SA
Warm to hot climate/Elevation 400-500mJohn Horrocks was the first settler in the region and encouraged his servant James Green to plant the first vines in 1842 at Penwortham. Edward Gleeson founded Clare in the 1840s and also planted the Inchiquin vineyards. The development of Clare, however, was uneven. When the Broken Hill Proprietary Company Limited was established at Broken Hill in 1885, Clare became a major transit centre for supplies. By 1897, the region had over 580 hectares of vines in production.
The climatic data suggests that Clare is essentially continental with hot summers and cool/cold winters. However, the vineyards are mostly located at higher elevations than the weather stations. For instance, Petaluma’s Hanlin Hill is at about 500m. During the growing season moderating cool breezes funnel up the Clare’s corrugation of hills and gullies from the south. The soils are red brown, chocolatey loams over shale allowing excellent drainage. Although snow is rare, the chill factor is something to behold. Some of the older vines are planted in the valley floor, originally to take advantage of the deep water holding capacity of the soils, as rainfall is relatively low. With the advantages of supplementary irrigation, many of the best vineyard sites are located on higher elevations or towards the south of the valley. Polish Hill and Watervale are important sub-regions.
The Clare Valley has become particularly famous for its fruit-pure Rieslings and tightly-knit Shirazes. Cabernet Sauvignon also performs quite well.
-
» Shiraz
Clare Valley Shiraz is rarely as opulent as Barossa Shiraz: concentrated, yes, but with spicier, cracked pepper and anise aromas over ripe, prune-like fruit and a slightly more structured palate with angular tannins. Jim Barry's The Armagh is a rare beast making intensity, immensity and density a seamless combination.
Wendouree Shiraz is particularly idiosyncratic with its iron-fisted tannins. Leasingham is making very impressive wine - witness its gobsmacking 1994 Classic Clare Shiraz - yet this label is undervalued considering its quality. Tim Adams (especially The Aberfeldy) and Mitchell are also very impressive producers who have yet to make their run.
» Riesling
The best Hunter Valley Semillons are invariably unoaked and are some of the lowest alcohol wines produced in Australia. When young they show herbaceous, tropical fruit aromas, quite lean palates and good acid backbone. The ageing process sees these wines develop remarkably. The primary aromas give way to a complex, honeyed, straw-like bouquet. The palate fleshes out with concentrated honey/straw flavours, apparent fruit sweetness, cutting acid and great length. This is a misunderstood style favoured by passionate wine enthusiasts and many in the wine trade. Yet it has generally failed to ignite interest in the secondary market except for specific vintages and wines: 1970 Lindemans, 1979 Rothbury Estate, 1984 McWilliams Lovedale and 1986 Tyrrell's Vat 1 are all classic wines
The best performers in the secondary market are Grosset and Petaluma. Mitchell, Wilson Vineyard and Mount Horrocks are well regarded but have yet to impress investors. Old Leo Burings are fabulous wines; 1975 DWE 17 was brilliant, but the bin numbering system is difficult to understand. Orlando's Richmond Grove label hosts some great Clare Valley Riesling, but is yet to develop brand definition. It is interesting to note that many Clare Valley producers are now embracing the use of 'Stelvin' closures as an alternative to cork.
Andrew Caillard MW
Barossa Valley, SA
Warm climate/Elevation 270mColonel William Light, the South Australian colony’s Surveyor-General, named the Barossa in 1837 after the site of an English victory over the French in the Spanish Peninsular War. Silesian and English immigrants in the mid-1800s settled it. Wherever you go in the Barossa Valley, you can find the Germanic influence in the architecture, the name of its communities and leading families in the district. The region incorporates the whole gamut of the wine dream, from the micro to macro-winery.
The Barossa comprises two distinct sub-regions: Eden Valley and the warmer Barossa Valley floor at 270m.The Barossa Valley is comprised of rich brown soils and alluvial sands. The Barossa has a climate similar to Margaret River and Bordeaux. Cool sea breezes from the Gulf of St Vincent and elevation modify temperatures. However, hot northerly winds can occasionally dominate creating considerable vine stress. The region is also known for its relatively low rainfall. Many of the vineyards are dry-grown on single wire trellising. Supplementary irrigation is also used extensively.
The Barossa is famous for its Shiraz-based wines, but can also make some beautifully rich and chocolatey Cabernet Sauvignons. Semillon and Chardonnays are generally more commercial propositions on the Barossa floor. The Eden Valley is also widely known for its Rieslings and is emerging as an important area for Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
-
» Shiraz
Often combined with American oak, seasoned and coopered in Australia, classic Barossa Shiraz has complex, opulent aromas of plums, licorice, chocolate and vanillin, a palate packed with fruit sweetness, massive concentration, ripe tannins and exceptional length. The wines age beautifully. Mature Barossa Shiraz can often show a meaty, chocolate and fruit cake-like bouquet and spectacular richness on the palate. Penfolds is a shining light. Grange is almost entirely a Barossa wine these days with 1983, 1986, 1990, 1991, 1996 and 1998 the best recent vintages.
There is increasing recognition of the difference between the more tightly-knit Eden Valley Shiraz style and the looser-knit Barossa Valley floor style – an exciting development – but further complicated by the increasing acceptance of sub-regional variation on the floor itself! The wines to the north are more perfumed with mulberry fruit characters and slinky tannins. The wines get heavier and more chocolatey towards the south. Peter Lehmann Stonewell Shiraz and Yalumba Octavius are impressive wines. Rockford Basket Press Shiraz, St Hallett Old Block and Charles Melton are all making highly individual, but classic, Barossa Shiraz. The less well known Three Rivers, Greenock Creek and Torbreck are so-called 'tin shack' producers who have wowed the American market with their extraordinarily opulent fruit definition and relatively high alcohol levels. Barossa Shiraz is becoming excitingly more diverse and interesting. Really, the sky is the limit.
Andrew Caillard MW
Eden Valley, SA
Cool climate/Elevation 450mOrange, in the central west of New South Wales, came to prominence in 1851 with the first find of payable gold at nearby Ophir. The region has attracted significant capital investment in viticultural development over the last decade. The region is dominated by Mount Canobolas, an extinct volcano, which rises to almost 1400m. Most of the vineyards are north and north-east facing and located at altitudes of around 600m to 800m. At higher elevations, the vineyards are planted on predominantly red volcanic soils. At lower sites, the soils are mainly loess. The region experiences a high degree of continentality so spring frosts and hail can be a problem. In winter, the vineyards will often get a brushing of snow. Rosemount has done much to highlight the region’s potential. Chardonnay, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot all show potential, although this area has yet to really prove itself. This is a relatively new wine region and it is therefore difficult to pin down a regional style. Chardonnay The Chardonnays range from the lean and mean to the more classically proportioned illustrating a region with diverse resources and winemaking philosophies. Rosemount is probably the best known with plenty of fruit elegance and leesy complexity. However, these are certainly not investment wines.
The high altitude and cool climate of the region produces wines with great complexity and capacity for long-term cellaring. Eden Valley is also emerging as an important area for Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Water availability is a limiting factor in the spread of vineyards.
-
» Riesling
This area is given classic status almost entirely on the basis of many high-quality Leo Buring Rieslings. Henschke also makes a very fine wine - now called Julius - and Penfolds has attracted attention with its new Eden Valley Reserve Riesling. They are all very similar to Clare Rieslings, though perhaps not quite as fine or spectacular. A recent release of 1984 Seppelt Eden Valley Riesling is wonderfully pure and intense, showing that extraordinarily good wines can be made. The new Grosset/Yalumba joint venture based on two specific Riesling vineyards will no doubt thrust this region further into the limelight.
-
» Shiraz
The iconic Henschke Hill of Grace and Henschke Mount Edelstone are classic examples of Eden Valley Shiraz or, rather, what the area might aspire to. These wines derive from very old contorted vines, some of the oldest genetic material in Australia. Eden Valley Shiraz (which can be labeled as Barossa Shiraz is a little tighter and cooler in flavour spectrum than the Barossa floor. They have raspberry/blackberry aromas, fine firm tannin structures, but plenty of fruit sweetness and length. Barrel fermentation and use of American oak provide further complexity. Three Rivers Shiraz, a wine made by Chris Ringland – and lionised by Robert Parker – is technically an Eden Valley wine, but also shows how creating regional paradigms can be confusing.
Andrew Caillard MW
Adelaide Hills (Lenswood, Piccadilly Valley), SA
Cool climate/Elevation 450-550mThe Adelaide Hills run in a north-south direction and belong to the Mount Lofty Ranges. To the north of the Adelaide Hills lies the Eden Valley and immediately to its west is Adelaide. The area was settled initially as a summer retreat from the searingly hot summers of Adelaide. The pressure of urbanisation on market gardening and viticulture is palpable. The region is cool to very cool with most vineyards at an elevation of 450 to 550m (Mt Lofty rises to 700m). However the region is a jigsaw of meso-climates, the best vineyards facing north or north-east in protected positions. These seem to be centred around Piccadilly Valley and Lenswood. Rainfall is relatively high and spring frosts are a problem. The best sites appear to correlate to good orchard country, many located on steep slopes and at altitudes above 500m. This area is not immune to hot northerly winds. In 1983, the Adelaide Hills experienced terrible bush fires. The soils are derived from schistic and sedimentary rock, typically well-drained sandy loams over red clay interspersed with schistic gravels.
The region is well suited to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot showing great promise. Petaluma has done much for the reputation of this region and significant capital investment has followed in the last 15 years.
-
» Chardonnay
Adelaide Hills is another emerging classic Chardonnay region. Many wines have tropical fruit and grapefruit-like aromas with complex, grilled nuts bouquet and a creamy, flavoursome palate with fine acidity.
With Nepenthe, Petaluma, Penfolds, Geoff Weaver, Shaw and Smith, Tim Knappstein and Henschke all making Adelaide Hills Chardonnay, this area will become increasingly important. Indeed, it is likely that Adelaide Hills, Margaret River and the 'Melbourne Dress Circle' will soon be seen as Australia's finest Chardonnay regions. Both Petaluma (Tiers) and Penfolds (Yattarna) have released ultra-Chardonnays based on Adelaide Hills fruit. The investment market, after initial enthusiasm, has shown sluggish interest in these wines.
Andrew Caillard MW
McLaren Vale, SA
Warm climate/Elevation 50-200m
The Riverina district was settled by Italian immigrants and returned soldiers who established large-scale market gardening and grape growing in an area supplied by the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Scheme. Although some wine producers claim to have established themselves earlier, this region didn’t really get going until the 1950s. The Riverina is famous for inexpensive fortified and table wines. In 1982 De Bortoli released its Botrytis Semillon ‘Sauternes’ creating consternation among wine critics. It appeared ludicrous that this region could make a dessert wine of such finesse and quality. The wine, with almost two decades of production, continues to enhance its reputation with sheer consistency and quality. The region is hot and dry with plentiful sunshine and vines planted on medium to heavy clay loams. The vineyards are managed to ensure a high level of humidity between the vines to promote botrytis. Botrytis Semillon The Riverina is better known as a broad-acre vineyard region producing wines of very commercial quality. De Bortoli pioneered the botrytis Semillon style in the early 1980s with others following suit. The De Bortoli Noble One style has become an Australian classic very quickly. The wines show lovely deep yellow colour, apricot-honey aromas and a luscious tremendously concentrated palate with plenty of dried apricot/peach/honey flavours. This is all balanced by fine attenuated acidity that brings life, length and lasting power to the wine
Climatically this region is warm and maritime with elevations of between 50m to 200m. Temperatures do vary around the region. The best sites are those protected from the prevailing afternoon southerly breezes. Rainfall is relatively low so supplementary irrigation is used, although there are many dry-grown vineyards. There are three distinctive soil types: the sandy loams of Blewitt Springs; the darker soils of McLaren Flat; and the terra rossa over limestone soils further back near Chapel Hill.
McLaren Vale, sometimes called the Southern Vales, is often referred to as Australia’s mid-palate because of the mid-palate richness of its Shirazes. Famous for its Shiraz, this region also makes good Cabernet Sauvignons and Chardonnays.
-
» Shiraz
The Adelaide Hills region is often called Australia's middle palate because of the mouth-filling nature of McLaren Vale Shiraz. The best have immense blackberry and licorice aromas, often modified a little by American oak, fleshy palates with concentrated, ripe tannins, not dissimilar to Barossa Shiraz.
Coriole Lloyd Reserve is a beacon of quality. d’Arenberg and Chapel Hill follow slightly behind, while Clarendon Hills is re-defining McLaren Vale Shiraz with individual vineyard wines. Hardy's Eileen Hardy Shiraz has a proportion of McLaren Vale fruit and is making strong progress in the investment market. Rosemount Balmoral already impresses with its opulent fruit, American oak and ripe tannins. The tiny Noon winery is also making spectacular Shiraz and has developed a cult following in the US.
Andrew Caillard MW
Padthaway, SA
Cool maritime climate/Elevation 50m
When you reach Padthaway, about three hours drive south of Adelaide, the land undulates and the eucalypt trees are taller. The landscape is richer and prettier. First established as a viticultural area in the 1960s, Padthaway was soon recognised as a premium, cool-climate region. Originally planted in 1968, Orlando purchased the first Padthaway vineyard in the 1980s. The vineyards are located on the shoreline of an ancient seabed and comprise deep, free-draining sandy loams over red brown clay and limestone-based soils. Frosts are a problem in spring and hot weather over summer can stress the vines. Padthaway is close enough to the sea to benefit from cool moderating afternoon sea breezes. Irrigation is used extensively. Although rainfall averages about 500mm, falling mostly during winter and spring, there is ample ground water.
Padthaway is becoming an important region. Pressure to increase levels of production, combined with competition for old vine material, has forced larger makers to look for new sources of very high quality fruit. Padthaway is now increasingly supplying grapes into well-known, ultra-fine house brands.
-
» Shiraz
Padthaway Shiraz – typified by Orlando’s Lawson’s Shiraz - shows attractive choco-menthol characters over very bright, blackberry liquorice fruit and plenty of palate richness. The wines develop plenty of complexity over time. In recent years, Padthaway Shiraz has become a highly important component of many ultra-fine wines including Penfolds Grange and Hardys Eileen Hardy Shiraz. This is an area to watch carefully, although it is in danger of being seen as a corporate region, much in the same way as Coonawarra was looked upon until recently.
-
» Chardonnay
It is far too early to define Padthaway Chardonnay, although it has shown its promise in the highly commercial, but extremely well made, Lindemans Padthaway Chardonnay. At the top end of the scale, Hardys Eileen Hardy Chardonnay draws some fruit from this region.
Andrew Caillard MW
Coonawarra, SA
Cool climate/Elevation 60m
The Coonawarra fruit colony was established 108 years ago and began a century of grape growing. Bill Redman once said “from 1890 to 1945 you can write failure across the face of Coonawarra”. His family had been supplying bulk wine to Woodleys since 1920, enabling it to produce the prized Treasure Chest series of wine in the early 1950s. By 1951, David Wynn established Wynns Coonawarra Estate at the disused Chateau Comaum stone winery. It was the first winery in Australia to use the word ‘Estate’.
Coonawarra is today one of the most famous red wine regions in Australia. Its weathered limestone terra rossa soils, relatively cool climate and overall water availability make it a unique vineyard site. The region, however, is extremely flat and unprotected. Consequently, it can be exposed to the swinging influences of the cool Great Southern Ocean and hot, dry northerly winds. Spring frosts are a major problem and have been known to wipe out crops. Mechanical and machine harvesting is widely used in Coonawarra, although smaller producers prefer to tend their vines by hand.
The region is best known for its Cabernet Sauvignon, although its Shiraz can be particularly smart. There are some Coonawarra Rieslings and Chardonnays, but these don’t have the same impact as the red wines of this region.
-
» Cabernet Sauvignon
South Australia's Coonawarra is one of the classic Cabernet-producing regions of Australia, once described as the 'Medoc of the Southern Hemisphere' and, truly, Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon can be disarmingly like Bordeaux when young. The 1986 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is an example, typically highly perfumed, with striking blackcurrant, licorice, cedary fruit characters and a beautifully structured palate with fine-grained tannins. Bowen Estate, Hollick, Katnook, Leconfield, Lindemans, Orlando St Hugo, Majella, Penley Estate, Petaluma, Rouge Homme and Rymill all fall more or less in the same category. Since 1982 we have also had the super-concentrated, often soupy style of Wynns Coonawarra Estate John Riddoch. This has been described as the essence of Cabernet and investors and collectors have shown great interest in it. The 1982, 1986 and 1990 are usually successful in the market, while the 1988 has never fired. I wonder where this style is heading although the 1998 vintage is absolutely wonderful. The wines, in the past however, can be cumbersome and unattractive, showing no regional qualities at all. Orlando Jacaranda Ridge is another example of this style.
Some of Coonawarra's 'golden oldies' are the 1949-1956 Woodley Treasure Chest series, 1963 Mildara 'Peppermint Pattie', 1966 Penfolds Bin 620 and, arguably, the 1980 Lindemans St George. Investors should avoid the 1995 vintage. Recently Coonawarra has experienced four outstanding or above average vintages in a row - 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001. This gift of nature has given the ammunition this region needs to bring back focus to its wonderful Cabernets
-
» Shiraz
Wynns Coonawarra Estate Michael is the alter ego of John Riddoch, a richly concentrated wine with pronounced spicy, blackberry and licorice aromas and substantial oak. Investor confidence in this style has waned over the last few years as buyers seek greater regional definition. Most other Coonawarra Shirazes are more elegant and refined. Bowen Estate, Zema Estate and Majella are examples. They can be mistaken for Cabernets, as they often show blackcurrant-like fruit.
The palate is usually the giveaway, with much riper and less-structured tannins. Interestingly, it was Shiraz that put Coonawarra on the map - the original 1955 Wynns Michael is one of Australia's most famous wines.
Andrew Caillard MW
Magill Estate (Adelaide), SA
Warm to hot climate/Elevation 130-180m
The historic Magill Estate vineyard was established in 1844 and is now the ‘brand’ home of Penfolds. At its peak in 1949 the Magill vineyards – including the adjacent Auldana property – comprised 120 hectares (290 acres). This site witnessed the shift from fortified to table wines and the development of both Penfolds Grange and Penfolds St Henri. Urban pressure during the 1970s saw the vineyard whittled away by housing development.
Today Magill Estate, once on the outskirts of Adelaide, is now well and truly within the Adelaide metropolitan area. Only 5.2 hecatres (12.5 acres) of Shiraz remain, centred around the Grange cottage, the original home of Dr Christopher Rawson Penfold and the ‘spiritual’ birth place of Grange Hermitage (now called Bin 95 Grange Shiraz). The vineyard lies on west facing slopes at an elevation of between 130 and 180 metres. The soils are fertile red-brown earths and the climate is warm to hot. Rainfall is moderate during the growing season allowing a very low-input – almost organic – level of viticulture.
Although Magill Shiraz was used for Grange in the early days, the fruit (now about 30 tonnes) is used almost entirely for the Magill Estate Shiraz. In occasional vintages (such as 1996) some of the fruit may find its way into Penfolds Grange. Magill Estate is an important Adelaide landmark and remains an important working winery. Indeed both Magill Estate and Grange (a multi-vineyard/multi district wine) are both matured on this site.
Andrew Caillard MW