Adelaide Hills – Click to enlarge
Adelaide Hills in South Australia
Adelaide Hills is the traditional land of the Peramangk people and is the closest wine region to the city of Adelaide, within a 45-minute drive of the state capital.
Established in 1839, the Adelaide Hills form part of the picturesque Mount Lofty Ranges wine zone near Mount Pleasant in the north, to Mount Compass in the south, with the highest elevation of vineyards being around 700 metres. It shares this wine zone with both Adelaide Plains and the Clare Valley.
It’s one of the largest regions in Australia covering nearly 1500 km² and arguably one of the most important cool-climate regions in Australia. It encompasses the sub-regions of Lenswood and Piccadilly Valley and is extremely diverse in terms of soil, topography and climate.
Renowned as one of Australia’s most vibrant cool climate wine regions, it consists of over 50 cellar doors and 90 wine labels and garners much international acclaim.
Vines in the Adelaide Hills date back as early as the 1840’s. However, due to issues with cool-climate viticulture in the early years, many vines were removed before the 1930’s. A renaissance of the region began in the 1970’s and remained popular through the 80’s and 90’s. Queen Victoria received the first gift of Australian wine to an English monarch, which came from Adelaide Hills’ first vineyard in 1843.
A cool climate defines this region, providing a point of difference over other South Australian regions.
The region borders the warmer climate regions of Langhorne Creek, Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale and the Southern Fleurieu.
In the words of James Halliday, a “truly outstanding region”.
