Adelaide Hills

It is easy to get lost in the Adelaide Hills which is not necessarily a bad thing! Roads meander through valleys and over hills seemingly at random and you never know what you will discover around the next corner. This is boutique wine country which is surprisingly diverse in terms of varieties grown, styles made and quality.

The first grapes were planted in the Adelaide Hills in the 1840s. However, the region was not established as a commercial premium wine region until the 1970s. The soils are generally of low to medium fertility and range from light loams over clay to heavier clays. The region has the coolest climate of all of the South Australian wine regions. The Mediterranean climate is influenced by the elevation ranging between 350m and 700m. Rainfall varies, but predominantly falls in the winter and spring.

Chardonnay and Pinot Noir for both sparkling wines and table wines tend to be grown in the coolest parts of the Adelaide Hills. Riesling, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot are generally grown in the slightly warmer areas, and Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Shiraz are grown in the lower altitudes. Other varieties such as Pinot Gris and Viognier are also growing well in the Adelaide Hills.

The Adelaide Hills create elegant sparkling and still wines of intense flavour, good acid structure and balance. The emphasis is on premium wines and the Adelaide Hills region is rapidly being acknowledged as the premier cool climate region of Australia. The Adelaide Hills is best known for its Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Sparkling, Pinot Noir and Shiraz wines.

Wineries In This Region

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