Adelaide Hills, SA
A trip to the Adelaide Hills, and its two sub-regions of Lenswood and Piccadilly Valley, can leave a visitor a little dizzy. Twisting and turning, rising and falling, the roads offer cameo vistas with bewildering frequency. But no one should venture into this region without a detailed road map, for it is impossible to navigate by simply using one's sense of direction.
When it comes to wine however, this beautiful treasure, which lies in part only 25km of downtown Adelaide, is of rapidly growing importance for the production of super-premium table and sparkling wines.
Most of the Adelaide Hills has an unequivocally cool climate, with heat summations ranging from less than 1,300 at Stirling to 1,398 at Lenswood. It is not until one reaches the northern extremity of the region, and the west-facing slopes, that one moves out of a climate suited principally to the early-ripening varieties such as Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc, and into terrain which satisfactorily ripens Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz.
The Adelaide Hills region is winning accolades for its Sauvignon Blanc, producing some of the best examples of the variety in Australia. Typically the wines are fresh, fragrant and aromatic, yet crisp and food friendly with the distinctive acidity and fine structure that typifies many wine styles – both white and red – from the Hills.
Chardonnay also flourishes and the resulting wines are invariably full of character, responding in marked fashion to the winemaking philosophies and practices of the numerous distinguished producers in the region. As one would expect, natural levels of acidity are good, allowing makers to use malolactic fermentation to increase complexity without threatening the longevity of the wines or permitting them to become soft and flabby.
Riesling is grown across the span of climatic sites, producing razor-sharp, fine and delicate wines in the cooler locations and richer, more conventional wine styles on the warmer sites. For early consumption, the latter wines may well be favoured. For those prepared to wait five to ten years, the cooler sites provide the answer.
Although not widely grown, several producers have managed to make outstanding wines from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Quite apart from any other consideration, success with these varieties is a testament to the importance of site selection.
After a slow and at times uncertain start, Pinot Noir is also now asserting itself in the manner long suggested by the climate, and the arrival of new Burgundian clones should ensure continued impetus and interest. There is no doubt that the Adelaide Hills is, and will remain, South Australia's leading producer of Pinot Noir.
Substantial quantities of the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grown in the Adelaide Hills are used in the making of sparkling wine. As one might expect, the style is extremely refined, the flavour long and lingering.
The Adelaide Hills were amongst the first areas of South Australia to be settled by European settlers. A number of towns in the Hills were started as German settlements; Hahndorf, and Lobethal are two widely known examples. The original town names and architecture still reflect this. Descendants of these first settlers and others of German origin still reside in the area. This explains the strong German cultural connection seen in the number of Lutheran churches, Lutheran schools which often have German on the curriculum, and the number of older residents who still speak German. Some customs have grown, such as the Lobethal Christmas lights which began in the 1950s.
There are over 50 wineries within the Hills region which are open most days for tasting and cellar sales.
- Includes material from the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation