Southern Style

Andrew Corrigan continues his quick tour of Australian wine producing states looking at a little of their history and also current developments.

South Australia is the state that dominates Australian wine production. It was not always so - in the 19th century Victoria was a larger producer. After the war of 1914-1918, extensive "soldier settlements" occurred in the Riverland - the flat irrigated region along the Murray River in the north east of the state. This area that produced high volume inexpensive wine, underpinned the South Australian wine industry. Today South Australia produces about half of Australia's total wine. As well as high volume areas such as the Riverland (now known more politely as the Murray Valley), there is a rich diversity of climates and wine styles - from the cold Adelaide Hills known for delicate whites and sparkling wines, to McLaren Vale which is known for intense full bodied reds.

The first vineyards were established in the 1830's, 40's and 50's in areas and by names that are still famous. John Reynell and Dr AC Kelly planted in Reynell, McLaren Vale in 1838; John Horrocks at Clare in 1842; Dr Christopher Rawson Penfold at Magill in 1844; Frank Potts at Langhorne Creek in the 1840's; Joseph Gilbert at Pewsey Vale in 1847; Johan Gramp at Rowland Flat on Jacobs Creek in 1847; these were followed by Samuel Smith at Angaston in 1851 and JE Seppelt in the Barossa Valley in 1854. The Barossa Valley became the main region in the 19th century and became complemented later by Coonawarra, Clare, McLaren Vale and the Riverland. New areas were developed in the 1960's and later - Padthaway has been a much publicised region to the north of Coonawarra. In the 1990's the new regions include the Adelaide Hills, the great expansion of the already long established Langhorne Creek which had been considered a minor sub-area of McLaren Vale, and the Limestone Coast Zone. This latter region covers the regions either side of Coonawarra and includes the coast to the west and the Naracoorte Ranges to the east. Exciting new regions are springing up within this new area and there is great promise for excellent quality with new styles.

James Halliday writes that "the Barossa Valley is, and always will be, the womb of the Australian wine industry". Australia's large companies have their production head quartered there and the production is vast. The regions is best for full bodied reds, rich whites and excellent fortified wines. There was an identity crisis in the 1970's when the region had high production and Australian retail prices were in a slump. This came when there was a sharp trend by consumers towards whites and away from fortified wines. There was a Govt sponsored scheme to reduce production - called the Vine Pull Scheme and many vines that would be considered priceless today, were bulldozed then. The Barossa area has done an about face. Tourism is a big industry. There has been a promotion of the personalities of the old Barossa wineries - Peter Lehmann, Rocky o'Callaghan, Bob Maclean, Charlie Melton, Grant Burge, Steven and Prue Henschke and others are household names. Wines made from low yield old vines often on dry land vineyards, have become very desirable. This has turned around the fortunes of non-trendy grapes such as grenache and mourvedre (the latter had been known by its common name mataro and was regarded as a cheap source of fortified wine). The "Parker factor" contributed - Robert Parker is the influential American critic who loves big intense reds - wines praised by him shoot up in price and become scarce. There are criticisms that his approach to quality centres on bigness of flavour and is too simplistic. However it has been great for some of the Barossa producers of intense reds from old vines. It has led to a current trend known as "icon wines" - these are super premium wines, often released as an additional product above the normal range offered by any winery. Icon wines have intense flavours - there is rivalry to boast how ridiculously low the vine yield has dropped in order to produce such high flavours. The wines usually have a special name - d'Arenberg "Dead Arm", Rockford "Basket Press", Grant Burge "Mesach" and Jim Barry "Armagh" are examples. In the case of Henschke, the icon is very much the vineyard and "Hill of Grace" and "Mt Edelstone" are legendary world wide.

Eden Valley is to the east of the Barossa - higher and cooler. It is home to Henschke and Yalumba and others and makes a wide range of styles. Riesling here is very successful and due to its comeback, there are increasing signs of "icon vineyard" rieslings - Pewsey Vale, Heggies, Orlando St Helga, Orlando Steingarten and others. North is Clare Valley - now famous for tourism and in wine, following the same trends as the Barossa with icon wines. Jeffrey Grosset is renowned for riesling. Petaluma Riesling is grown here. There are icon reds from Jim Barry, Knappstein, Leasingham, Pikes, Tim Adams, Taylors, Sevenhil, Wendouree and others.

To the south of the Barossa and east of Adelaide is the Adelaide Hills - a super premium low yield area which is very restricted due to its location in Adelaide's water catchment. It has been made famous as a region due to some of the high profile producers there - Penfolds top white, Yattarna Chardonnay is mainly form the Adelaide Hills. Petaluma is there along with Tim Knappstein's Lenswood and Henschke's Lenswood range. Shaw and Smith, Geoff Weaver, Nepenthe, Hillstowe and Chain of Ponds are becoming famous.

To the south east of Adelaide is McLaren Vale - a traditional area but undergoing more and more expansion and becoming known for rich reds due to the renaissance of shiraz and grenache. Andrew Garrett, Chapel Hill, Clarendon Hills ("discovered" by Robert Parker), Coriole, d'Arenberg, Fox Creek, Geoff Merrill, Hardys Reynella, Haselgrove, Maglieri, Noon, Normans, Richard Hamilton, Pirramimma, Rosemount (headquartered in the Hunter Valley but obtaining their rich reds from McLaren Vale), Seaview, Tatachilla, Wirra Wirra and Woodstock are well known.

Coonawarra is a region known for reds and cabernet in particular. It has also been in the news lately due to rulings over the boundaries of the region. In the last ten years there has been a tightening up of Australian wine labels - only recognised wine region names can be used and there are defined boundaries. Coonawarra is situated upon red limestone soil called "Terra Rossa". This soil has a long narrow cigar shape and is surrounded by black soil which does not drain as well. Coonawarra vineyards have expanded greatly in recent decades and have pushed out into the black soil. A famous example is Petaluma who has vineyards both on the terra rossa and as well further north on the black soil. The Coonawarra boundary ruling in early 2000 was a narrow interpretation and excludes most vineyards off the terra rossa. Petaluma and others are mounting court challenges.

Padthaway is to the north of Coonawarra and has similar conditions although soils are sandier. The region is dominated by the big companies Hardys (with the Stonehaven winery), Orlando Lawsons, and Lindemans. The wines are good and getting better. There is substantial investment here.

The Limestone Coast is the designated region that includes the south east of South Australia. There are various exciting developments scattered throughout. Koppamurra established in 1973 between Coonawarra and Padthaway. Later the big companies such as Mildara planted there and used the Koppamurra name to designate the region, a practice objected to by Koppamurra Winery. They went to court over this argument and the winery won, meaning that the area name now adopted is Wrattonbully. Over on the coast around Robe, west of Coonawarra, there has been a huge area of planting. Famous French producer Chapoutier from the Rhone Valley has established there. Ralph Fowler, a legendary contract winemaker most recently at Richard Hamilton, has established his own vineyards there and new wines look sensational.

Much of the coastal region of South Australia is suitable for vines and there will be expansion in coming years to areas such as Kangaroo Island and Port Lincoln. South Australia will maintain its eminent position.

Andrew Corrigan 2000