Coonawarra - One of Australia's Most Distinctive Wine Regions
Coonawarra, located around 380 kilometres southeast of Adelaide in South Australia's Limestone Coast, Coonawarra is one of the most distinctive and celebrated wine regions in the country. A geographical wonder, the Coonawarra landscape was forged over a million years, the result of seabeds forming into limestone and winds blowing airborne dust, all settling above an ancient reservoir of pure water. The wines it produces are unlike anything else in Australia, and the reason comes down to one thing: the soil. Explore Coonawarra wines →
Terra Rossa - The Soil That Makes Coonawarra Famous
The unique cigar-shaped strip of rich terra rossa soil that defines the region is just 27 kilometres long and two kilometres wide. This reddish-brown topsoil sits over a thick layer of soft limestone, the red colour caused by iron-oxide formations in the clay, rich in silica and other nutrients. Below the terra rossa is a calcrete capping, a hard layer of calcium carbonate that curbs deep root growth and controls vine vigour. This restriction is important to the concentration of flavour and distinctiveness of these wines. Vines growing in terra rossa develop intense colours, varietal fruit flavours and fine tannins as they ripen slowly in Coonawarra's clear light and cool climate.
The Climate
Coonawarra's proximity to the Southern Ocean, just 60 kilometres away, gives it a mild maritime climate, with Mediterranean effects in summer moderated by cool sea breezes. This cooling of the vines is critical to the richness and complexity of the region's wines, extending the ripening period and resulting in a wide range of flavour development. Coonawarra is one of the coolest places in Australia to ripen Cabernet Sauvignon, grapes develop more complex flavours as a direct result of the longer ripening season and lower yields.
The Wines
Cabernet Sauvignon is Coonawarra's undisputed king, structured, elegant and built to age, with a distinctive combination of dark fruit, cedar, fine tannins and natural minerality that is unmistakably Coonawarra. Shiraz and Merlot also thrive here, producing wines with more elegance and spice than their warmer climate counterparts. These are wines that reward patience and the region's best bottles are among the most age-worthy reds in Australia.
