FLEURIEU WINERY REGION
The Fleurieu wine zone is located between the mouth of the Murray River and the Gult St Vincent. Within the zone, there are multiple wine regions that each excel in different varieties due to the different geographical indications. These regions include McLaren Vale, Langhorne Creek and Kangaroo Island. There are many great attractions to visit in these areas, including top restaurants with local produce, regional and coastal features and superb cellar doors just waiting for your arrival.
Currency Creek Winery Region
Currency Creek was first explored when Captain Charles Sturt travelled down the Murray River in 1829 and made his last campsite near the town of Goolwa, situated near the mouth of the Murray River. The Currency Creek wine region was first planted in the 1960s and was defined in the late 1990s. Located 80 kilometres south of Adelaide and adjacent to the Southern Ocean and Lake Alexandrina, Currency Creek is close to the popular tourist coastal communities of Victor Harbor, Goolwa and Middleton.
Cooler than McLaren Vale and similar to the climate of Margaret River and California’s Carneros, Currency Creek benefits from a maritime climate and subsequently avoids extreme weather conditions. As a consequence, the region rarely suffers from frost, hail or fog and its low rainfall is supplemented by irrigation from both the Murray River and good-quality underground bores.
Cool afternoon breezes and low rainfall create an excellent environment for extended hang-time, allowing red wine grapes to fully ripen their tannins and maintain optimal acid while still generating great colour and varietal character. In addition, those same influences generate the truly cool-climate characters of white varieties.
Currency Creek
Kangaroo Island Winery Area
Kangaroo Island was officially declared a wine region in 2001. Its soils vary from light limestone through to terra rossa and heavy clay, which means each vineyard is a unique site. The annual rainfall varies from 400mm–1000mm, and some vineyards rely on surface water, while others rely on mains water or are dry-grown. It’s exciting to experience the varied cellar doors, restaurants and hotels as you make your way around the island and take in the exceptional flora, fauna and landscapes between each venue.
All vineyards benefit from the Mediterranean climatic influences and a long ripening period, which enhances the fresh flavours of the fruit. Kangaroo Island’s clean, green image, as well as its reputation for quality produce, helps to set the island’s wines apart from the more well-known regions. Grape varieties in the region are extensive, with the most popular and awarded wines being sauvignon blanc and chardonnay in the whites, and cabernet sauvignon and shiraz in the reds.
Just as its wines are known for their quality, purity and unique character, so too is the food sourced and produced on Kangaroo Island. So go on, indulge, and see for yourself what tasty treasures Kangaroo Island has to offer.
KANGAROO ISLAND
McLaren Vale
Only forty-five minutes south of Adelaide in South Australia, McLaren Vale is home to sustainable winegrowing, world-class wines and culinary experiences, as well as pristine natural attractions and unparalleled tourism offerings.
South Australia’s viticultural origins began in McLaren Vale and our region’s Mediterranean climate continues to drive the region’s wine style and diverse food culture. Best known for shiraz, McLaren Vale also excels in the production of ultra-premium grenache and cabernet. Mediterranean varieties such as fiano, vermentino, tempranillo and sangiovese are also very well suited climatically and provide wine-lovers with yet another layer of discovery.
Over one third of our cellar doors offer local produce as part of the tasting experience. From high-end, starred restaurants to casual platters, there is a wine and food combination to suit any taste. McLaren Vale is also home to a significant number of boutique brewers and passionate distillers. The region’s reputation for offering a multiplicity of immersive tourism experiences continues to grow steadily.
Thirty kilometres of breathtaking coastline and ranges define McLaren Vale’s boundaries, and the distinct landscapes and environment within. Today, the region remains phylloxera-free and is known for innovative viticultural and winemaking techniques. It also boasts an international reputation for producing the trilogy of Australian reds: shiraz, cabernet sauvignon and grenache.
McLaren Vale
Langhorne Creek
One of the best-kept secrets in Australian viticulture, Langhorne Creek is one of Australia’s oldest wine regions dating back from the 1860’s. Nestled in the Fleurieu – only an hours drive south of Adeliade this South Australian Wine region is famous for it’s Cabernet Sauvignon and blends.
Langhorne Creek
