Adelaide Hills Wine Region

In the Adelaide Hills wine region, winemakers make bold decisions to produce unique wines. Just 20 minutes from Adelaide, it’s a lush, leafy retreat with more going on than meets the eye.

The landscape here is as diverse as the wines. Roads twist and turn, and steep hills and valleys create different microclimates. It’s a region that inspires creativity – in its artists, its food producers and its winemakers.

The Adelaide Hills is a relatively young wine region that’s playing a vital part in the evolution of Australian wine. It’s acclaimed for cool-climate classics like Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and is pushing the case for alternative varieties.

Read on for more about the Adelaide Hills.

34° 98’S

latitude

138° 50’E

longitude

3,957HA

total vineyard area

Climate and Altitude

The Adelaide Hills is one of Australia’s coolest and most elevated wine regions. Overall it has a moderate climate, with high-altitude areas cooler and rainier than those lower down.

268MM

growing season rainfall

20.4C

mean temperature

149-714m

altitude

The Environment

The Adelaide Hills is a relatively large and elevated wine region in South Australia’s Mount Lofty Ranges. It’s a narrow band to the east of Adelaide.

Climate

Summer is cool and dry, and winter is crisp, with most rain falling through winter and spring.

Soil

Soils vary between low-lying areas and higher ground. There’s a mixture of grey-brown or brown loamy sands, and patches of sandy soils over clay subsoils.

The Makers

Martin Shaw

Kate Laurie

Simon Tolley

Top Varieties Grown

SAUVIGNON BLANC

Adelaide Hills sets the benchmark for Sauvignon Blanc in Australia. It’s a fresh, aromatic and easy-drinking wine with vibrant flavours of citrus, pineapple and herbs.

CHARDONNAY

These are elegant and interesting wines with refreshing acidity. Adelaide Hills Chardonnay also makes some of Australia's best sparkling wine.

PINOT NOIR

Adelaide Hills is South Australia’s leading region for Pinot Noir. It’s a smooth, silky wine with cherry and strawberry flavours. Like Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir is used in high-quality sparkling wines.

SHIRAZ

The region is also a leader in cool-climate Shiraz. These wines are elegant and lighter in style – very different from the big, bold reds of South Australia’s warmer regions.