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South Australia Wine Regions
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The Barossa Valley
Burton Estate Wines
About an hour’s drive north from Adelaide, the Barossa Valley is probably the most picturesque winegrowing region in Australia. Predominantly a dairy, crop and vineyard growing region, the Barossa is very similar in climate and countryside to the famous winegrowing regions of California. The climate is warm to temperate and being inland, has relatively low summer humidity. The area is home to some of the oldest grapevines in the country and the Barossa houses some of the country’s most renowned winemakers. The soil is rich and fertile and it's generally considered that you can’t go wrong with a Barossa red.
McLaren Vale
Cape Barren Winery - McLaren Vale
Vines in this region were first planted in the 1930’s and the area has made consistently good wine since those early days. However the recent influx of some very talented winemakers, attracted to this scenic maritime coastal area, has seen the quality of the wines skyrocket. The warm location on the coast south of Adelaide is tempered by ocean breezes from St Vincent’s Gulf. The secret to its success is the warm coastal climate and wide varieties of soil types. The McLaren is best known on the world stage for its luscious rich chocolaty, minty red wines, in particular Shiraz. It is a very well deserved reputation with each winery having its own signature stamp.
The Adelaide Hills
Kingston Estate
Along with the Barossa Valley, the Adelaide Hills has some of the oldest vines in Australia and can claim the beginning of wine as an industry in this country. The two regions together are the majority contributors to South Australia’s claim to be the engine room of Australia’s wine industry both in volume and history. Slightly cooler than the Barossa, the Hills of Adelaide are very scenic and the area is best known for its white grape varieties. Just 20 minutes or so from Adelaide the region has become a favorite for vineyard tours, as the region is quite mountainous and the vineyards are usually on slopes. The soil is acidic with little topsoil and the climate is ‘Mediterranean’.
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