The Adelaide Hills
I drove from Barossa and cut south and across country on Valentines day 2006 and then up into the stunning Adelaide Hills at over 400 metres. This was my second visit, having already delved into the hills for a few days in April 2000 on my mammoth 5 month tour. I was slightly more concerned about time on this Valentines day, being that I was on flight 357 at 19.45 on the 16th February and I needed still to find a great Shiraz ( please see Brick Kiln page) and Sauvignon Blanc. Sometimes your life is blessed and in these next two days I did indeed manage this feat, indeed completely triumphed and added a wonderful Hermitage blend to make up a trio! This region reminds me a little of California and the drive into the hills overlooking Santa Barbara to the wonderful artistic and wine lovers hamlet called Los Olivos where the restaurant scene from “ Sideways” was filmed. It’s a bit greener up here though, a little windier and the roads are a little more European and small and cute, to clone a California saying. There is also a difference in temperature with the hills of the central coast of California. This is cool climate hill country. Nestled high above Adelaide in their wonderfully cool hills there wines show themselves off impressively against rivals from around the world: I would say that the Sauvignon Blanc bucks the trend of some thoughts that this grape cannot be grown very well on the Australian mainland and its best to venture down south to Tasmania or even New Zealand. I would put this up with a top Chavignol Sancerre (head past Sancerre on your left down a very narrow road and up a windy valley. There’s a wonderful little Auberge on your left that serve goats cheese omelette and large plates of Charcuterie!) and Hubert Brochard, who has a little tasting room in town. The Rose, now sold out, is made purposely from Pinot noir, and is also of supreme quality.
“ Although the Adelaide Hills is viewed by many as a relatively recent grape growing area, it was, in fact, the first region in South Australia that planted wine vines. However with falling consumer interest in dry table wines and great difficulties in controlling fungal disease, grape growing was abandoned in the early 20th century but it revived again in the 1970’s.”
Lindsay Barratt, Owner of Barratt wines
Lindsay Barratt owns two vineyards in the beautiful Adelaide Hills, the Uley and Bonython, and after my visit here in February 2006 I have to say this homestead and vineyard is probably the most beautiful and picturesque that I have visited throughout Australia and that’s some compliment. Cool climate wines of epic proportions.
Please click on the links below to see the vineyard website as well as individual tasting notes and bottle shots for each wine:
*TBC*
