McLaren Vale Wine Region in South Australia
The McLaren Vale Wine Region, just south of Adelaide in South Australia, is part of the Fleurieu Zone along with the Langhorne Creek, Kangaroo Island and Southern Fleurieu wine regions.
It is blessed with a wonderful climate for viticulture.
See what a couple of local winemakers have to say about the 2008 vintage in the McLaren Vale region
Situated on rolling plains between the Mount Lofty Ranges and the sea, the area is warm enough to ripen almost all varieties, but the maritime influence tempers the worst of the summer heat. No wonder there are about a hundred wineries operating in the region, and most are producing excellent wine.
Unfortunately the McLaren Vale Wine Region is being encroached on by suburban development from nearby Adelaide.
McLaren Vale is now regarded mainly as a red table wine area, but has made very good Riesling and other white wines in the past. Marketing difficulties, rather than wine quality have meant that white wines are no longer grown so commonly in the region.
McLaren Vale is the Grenache stronghold of Australia. Quite a few of the older plantings of this fine variety survived the vine pull schemes of the 1980s and are now regarded as living treasures.
An interesting project taken up by a number of winemakers in the region is the production of 'Cadenzia wines.' These are blends which must contain Grenache as the major variety. Shiraz and Mourvedre are the most common blending partners, but Petit Verdot, Tempranillo are also used. The word cadenzia was inspired by the musical term cadenza, defined as 'an elaborate, ornamental melodic flourish interpolated into an aria or other vocal piece'.
While GSM blends of Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvedre are becoming the signature wine of the region, Other varieties of note are emerging including the Rhone white varieites Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier, Petit verdot, pioneered in Australia by Pirramirra, and the Italian varieties Sangiovese, Nebbiolo and Barbera.
Visiting McLaren Vale
The region has some large wine companies, but there are plenty of medium and boutique cellars to visit.
Day trips from Adelaide are quite feasible, but there are plenty of reasons to stay for a few days.
The region has an abundance of accommodation if you choose to stay.
Vinodiversity's
Accommodation Finder will help you find the best hotel deals in the region.
You can use this excellent map to visit the region.
The list of wineries and the varieties they are using indicate that this region has plenty to offer those winelovers who want extend their enjoyment beyond the mainstream varieties. By all means enjoy some classic reds, but don't overlook the other riches that this superb region has to offer.
These McLaren Vale wineries are using alternative varieties:
- Aldinga Bay Sangiovese, Barbera, Petit verdot, Nebbiolo, Verdelho, Vermentino, Viognier
- Amicus Malbec
- Arakoon Grenache, Mourvedre, Viognier
- Battle of Bosworth Wines Viognier
- Beechtree Wines Arneis, Marsanne, Petit verdot
- Bent Creek Vineyards Grenache
- Blackbilly Grenache, Mourvedre, Tempranillo
- Blown Away Grenache, Kerner
- Bottin Wines Barbera, Sangiovese
- Brini Estate Grenache
- Byrne and Smith Cabernet franc, Tempranillo
- Cape Barren Wines Grenache, Mourvedre
- Cascabel Graciano, Grenache, Mourvedre, Roussanne, Tempranillo, Viognier
- Chalk Hill Winery Barbera, Cabernet franc, Sangiovese
- Chapel Hill Albarino, Malbec, Pinot gris, Sangiovese, Verdelho
- Charlatan Wines Sangiovese
- Clarence Hill Grenache
- Clarendon Hills Grenache
- Classic McLaren Wines Grenache
- Conte Estate Wines Gewurztraminer, Grenache
- Contessa Estate Gewurztraminer, Grenache
- Coriole Barbera, Chenin blanc, Fiano, Grenache, Nebbiolo, Sangiovese
- D'Arenberg Chambourcin, Grenache, Marsanne, Mourvedre, Petit verdot, Roussanne, Souzao, Viognier
- De Lisio Wines Grenache, Pinot gris
- Di Fabio Estate Grenache, Mourvedre, Petit verdot
- Doc Adams Pinot gris
- DogRidge Grenache, Petit verdot, Viognier
- Dowie Doole Chenin blanc, Petit verdot
- Dyson Wines Viognier
- Edwards and Chaffey Sangiovese, Tempranillo
- Five Geese Hillgrove Wines Grenache
- Foggo Wines Cinsaut, Grenache
- Fonthill Wine Grenache, Verdelho
- Fox Creek Wines Grenache, Verdelho
- Galvanized Wine Group Roussanne, Pinot gris, Roussanne, Viognier
- Geddes Wines Grenache, Petit verdot, Viognier
- Gemtree Vineyards Albarino, Grenache, Petit verdot, Sangiovese, Tempranillo, Viognier
- Geoff Hardy Grenache, Petit verdot
- Geoff Merrill Grenache, Mourvedre, Viognier
- Gilligan Grenache, Marsanne, Mourvedre, Roussanne
- Grancari Estate Grenache
- Halifax Vermentino
- Haselgrove Grenache, Pinot gris, Viognier
- Hastwell and Lightfoot Cabernet franc, Tempranillo, Viognier
- Hawkers Gate Grenache, Saperavi
- Hills View Verdelho, Malbec
- Hugh Hamilton Petit verdot, Sangiovese, Saperavi, Tempranillo, Verdelho, Viognier
- Inkwell Viognier, Zinfandel
- Kangarilla Road Grenache, Sangiovese, Tinta Negra Molle, Viognier, Zinfandel
- Kay Bros Amery Grenache, Mourvedre, Viognier
- Kimber Wines Petit verdot
- Koltz Grenache, Mourvedre, Sangiovese, Viognier
- La Curio Grenache
- Lazy Ballerina Shiraz Viognier
- Linda Domas Wines Grenache, Viognier
- Maglieri Barbera, Nebbiolo, Sangiovese
- Marienberg Grenache, Mourvedre
- Marius Wines Mourvedre
- Maxwell Wines Grenache, Verdelho, Viognier
- McLaren Ridge Estate Grenache
- McLaren Wines Grenache, Pinot gris
- Middlebrook Estate Chenin blanc, Grenache
- Minnow Creek Malbec, Sangiovese
- Mr Riggs Wine Company Petit verdot, Tempranillo, Viognier
- Nashwauk Tempranillo
- Noon Winery Grenache
- Oliverhill Grenache
- Olivers Taranga Fiano, Grenache, Tempranillo, Viognier
- Paxton Grenache, Pinot gris, Tempranillo
- Pende Valde Grenache
- Penny's Hill Grenache, Marsanne, Roussanne, Verdelho, Viognier
- Pertaringa Grenache, Petit verdot
- Pirramimma Grenache, Petit verdot, Tannat
- Possums Vineyard Grenache, Viognier
- Redheads Studio Grenache, Viognier
- Richard Hamilton Wines Grenache
- Samuels Gorge Grenache, Tempranillo
- SC Pannell Grenache, Nebbiolo, Pinot gris, Touriga
- Scarpatoni Estate Chenin blanc, Gamay, Grenache
- Serafino Wines Grenache, Tempranillo
- Settlement Wines Cabernet franc, Palomino, Pinot gris, Tinta Negra Molle, Verdelho
- Setttlement Wine Company Arneis, Pedro Ximenez, Tinta Negra
- Shingleback Grenache
- Simon Hackett Grenache
- Tapestry Viognier
- Tatachilla Chenin blanc, Grenache, Malbec, Sangiovese, Viognier
- The Old Faithful Estate Grenache, Mourvedre
- Tintara Grenache, Sangiovese, Tempranillo
- Twelve Staves Wine Company Grenache
- Vincognita Viognier, Zinfandel
- Vinrock Grenache
- Walter Clappis Wine Co Tempranillo, Viognier
- Willunga 100 Wines Grenache, Viognier
- Wirilda Creek Verdelho
- Wirra Wirra Arneis, Grenache, Mourvedre, Petit verdot, Viognier
- Woodstock Barbera, Grenache, Malbec, Petit verdot, Verdelho
- Woop Woop Wines Marsanne, Roussanne, Verdelho, Viognier
- Yangarra Estate Grenache, Mourvedre, Roussanne, Viognier
You can buy some great alternative varietal wine from Foggo Road Winery
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