Coonawarra
Coonawarra
In the remote south-eastern corner of South Australia, close to the Victorian border, lies a geological anomaly that has for over a century produced wines quite unlike those made in the warmer climates further north. Just above the dusty hamlet of Penola lies a perfectly flat, thin strip of land 15 kilometres long and not much more than one and a half wide. Dig a foot or so beneath the crumbly red topsoil, and you reach pure, free draining limestone, and then six feet beyond that lies the water table. Better conditions for fruit growing would be hard to find anywhere. With the warm, dry summers tempered by the influence of the Southern Ocean 60 kilometres away, grapes have a chance to develop rich, full flavours as the mild maritime climate extends the ripening season. Cabernet Sauvignon is king and the full, opulent wines with firm integrated tannins region are some of Australia's best. Coonawarra grown Chardonnay, Riesling, Shiraz and Malbec also produce clean cool-climate wines with ripe fruit and good acidity.
