ADELAIDE HILLS EVENTS

Winter Reds Weekend :: Warm to the Red Wines of the Adelaide Hills

Now this is what the Adelaide Hills should really be known for. Red Wine. Sure they grow Sauvignon Blanc that is pleasing to fans of that varietal. That stuff sells itself these days. And they make some of the best Chardonnay in Australia. I’ll let Penfolds/Fosters (and their marketing dollars) push that one along.

So what red grapes do they grow well in the Adelaide Hills? It is a cool climate region after all, isn’t it? Well, technically yes. Ask anyone who has fallen asleep outside in the middle of winter after overindulging in Adelaide Hills Wines whether or not it’s a cool climate region! So being a cool slimate region, they should grow decent Pinot Noir? Right? Damn right. But do they get the credit, dollars and prestige of the superstar wineries of Mornington Peninsula/Yarra Valley/Geelong/Tasmania? Nope. Should they? Hell yes. Ashton Hills, Whisson Lakes and Barratt are three of the finest producers of Pinot in this country.

What about other grape varieties? Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon normally thrive in warm climate regions you may say. But this is where the Adelaide Hills landscape comes into it’s own. A scenic drive through the Hills shows a myriad of altitudes, valleys, peaks, aspects, soil types and prevailing weather conditions. This variety means that with careful site selection almost any red variety can be grown in the Adelaide Hills. Shiraz? Shaw + Smith, Petaluma, Setanta, Kersbrook Hill, Ngeringa and more all produce stunning examples of Shiraz that are regularly rated amongst the best in the country by esteemed critics. They may not be the ball tearing blockbusters of the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale but they match brilliantly with food and have more elegance and complexity than you can shake a stick at. Cabernet is an exciting variety, especially when blended. Tilbrook make a cracking Sangiovese Cabernet, K1 by Geoff Hardy’s Tzimmukin is delicious and Chain Of Ponds The Cachet has been rated as one of the top Cabernet blends in the country by James Halliday.

So do yourself a favour, expand your palette and spend a day or two in the Adelaide Hills when she is at her finest.

Check out all the details at http://www.adelaidehillswine.com.au/downloads/winter_reds.pdf