Hospitality, Food & Wine, Monthly (29)Enoteca@Fnw
in the terra rossa soils of Coonawarra,
producing rich, firmly structured red
wines that are renowned around the
world. But the region is by no means
a one trick pony, producing a diverse
range of varieties and styles.
And the established winemaking
families have been reinforced by a new
generation of winemakers in recent
years, continuing the tradition of elegant
cool climate winemaking and bringing
the region to a new audience.
Coonawarra is only 100 kilometres (60
miles) inland and so a predominantly
maritime climate prevails in the
region, with dry and moderately cool
summers ripening most grape varieties
to perfection. Its maritime location does
not, however, prevent the occurrence
of spring frosts that are occasionally
quite severe. The extensive cloud cover
that moderates the most important
ripening period temperatures also sets
the region apart from others. While not
unique to the region, the terra rossa of
Coonawarra is Australia’s most famous
soil. Vivid red in colour, it is either
friable subplastic clay or a shallow
friable loam derived from and lying on
top of a bed of soft limestone.
The terra rossa strip is just one-kilometre-
wide and runs for 12 kilometres
northwest through Coonawarra.This tiny stretch of land is among the
most valuable – and controversial –
patches of earth in Australian wine. But
rather than creating a climate of elitism
this is a region where the production
of world-class wines is woven into
the community. Coonawarra is home
to well-established names that have
endured and continue to succeed
alongside newer names that are
reinvigorating the region. And while
Cabernet holds the Coonawarra crown,
there is a lot more to this classic region
than first meets the eye.