South Australia’s Barossa Valley is arguably one of Australia’s most famous wine regions and for good reason. The area boasts a proud winemaking history and is home to Australia’s largest collection of old vines.

The geography of the region is dominated by warm valley floors and cool higher altitudes in the hills that border the valley. Similar to a Mediterranean climate, the growing season in the Barossa gets gradually hotter and drier with some temperatures during the last ripening phase reaching more than 35°C. The resulting vine stress, along with a large diurnal temperature range, helps to concentrate flavours in the grapes. The Barossa has mild summers and cool winters, with an average winter temperature of 14°C and 29°C in summer, making it perfectly suited for red wine production.

The Barossa is home to more than 150 wineries, with over 80 cellar doors and a winemaking heritage dating back to the 1840’s. The secret to the highly praised vineyards and the organic fresh produce is the fertile soil and deep winemaking history which has allowed the Barossa to be named one of the nine Great Wine Capitals of the World.

The McLaren Vale wine region is located in the north-west of Fleurieu Peninsula and south of the state capital Adelaide. It is by far the most important wine-producing area in the Fleurieu zone and highly regarded throughout Australia and the world.

The diverse grape portfolio reflects the region’s varied grape-growing conditions, due to environmental factors and the cooling influences of the Gulf of Saint Vincent. Altitudes differ markedly as the hills roll and tumble to the sea, with great growing conditions created as a result of varying degrees of exposure to the Mount Lofty Ranges in the north and the Sellicks Ranges in the south. Fresh sea breezes and a Mediterranean climate help to moderate temperatures during the growing season. Cool winds from the hills help to retain grape acidity and structure in certain sites. The summers and most of the Autumn season are dry, which keeps vine diseases at bay.

With nearly 200 years of winemaking history, McLaren Vale is one of Australia’s oldest wine regions. One of the hallmarks of McLaren Vale is its inventiveness, with winemakers constantly pushing the boundaries and setting new benchmarks. McLaren Vale wine producers live and breathe the 'big three' red varieties they produce (shiraz, grenache and cabernet sauvignon) which combined are around 80% of their wine production.

Clare Valley lies in the Mid North of South Australia, within the Mount Lofty Ranges zone, located 130 kilometres north of the state capital Adelaide. It is one of Australia’s oldest wine regions with the first vineyards planted and wines produced in the early 1840’s.

The region’s vineyard sites are set at variable altitudes and are located on slopes, windswept plateau and valley floors, creating a range of grape-growing conditions. Most sites are planted from 400 to 500 metres, a higher elevation than those in the Barossa Valley. Each location, with varying soil quality and exposure to sunlight, produces distinct types and qualities of wine.

The Clare Valley enjoys a moderate, continental climate with warm summer days that are followed by cool evening breezes. These conditions help to extend hang time and retain crisp acidity and structure yielding distinctive, premium-quality, wines. Soil in the region is a mix of fertile alluvial elements, weathered rocks and limestone, each delivering its own characters to the wines.

Some of Australia’s finest Riesling is grown in the Clare Valley, and the region also produces many other wine styles, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz. With a perfect combination of classic, traditional producers and a new wave of innovative winemakers, Clare Valley’s reputation for consistency and quality will remain.