South Australia Facts

Located on the southern coast of Australia, to the west of the state of Victoria, South Australia accounts for around 50% of Australia’s wine production, ranging from brightly floral Riesling to dense, jammy Shiraz. The most prominent region within the State is the Barossa Valley, north of the city of Adelaide.  Home to some of the oldest Syrah vines in the world, known here as Shiraz, its warm climate and natural concentration of old-vine fruit yield an incredibly rich, powerful expression of this grape, laden with blackberry fruit and plush tannins. Eden Valley to the east and Clare Valley to the north have a cooler climate ideal for Riesling made in a dry, super-crisp style, known for their intense floral and lime character.  To the south of Adelaide lies the region of McLaren Vale, arguably second in importance to Barossa for production of high-quality red wines. Best known for Shiraz and blends of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre–called GSM locally–the cooling coastal winds mitigate the warmth of the afternoon sun, giving wines that are ripe but elegant, with supple tannins and rich black fruits. Further south still on the Limestone Coast, just to the west of Victoria, is the region of Coonawarra. Its warm climate and iron rich Terra Rossa soils are responsible for full-bodied, muscular expressions of Cabernet Sauvignon, rich in black currant fruit and minty herbal complexity. Finally, Adelaide Hills is an up-and-coming region with a cooling coastal influence, producing refreshingly lemony expressions of Sauvignon Blanc and mineral-rich Burgundian style Chardonnay.

Varietals Grown in the South Australia

South Australia has a truly diverse range of microclimates, capable of producing fine wine from a wide range of varieties.  For reds it is best known for the Rhone varieties of Shiraz, Grenache, Mourvedre, with the addition of Cabernet Sauvignon. The major white varieties of the region are Riesling, Viognier, and Sauvignon Blanc, and to a lesser extent Chardonnay. However, many lesser known varieties, from Verdejo to Petite Verdot, are also made into top-tier wines.