Australian Gourmet Traveller - (01)January 2021 (1)

(Comicgek) #1
SAMANTHAPAYNEexploresa misunderstoodwine
region that’s earning international renown.

Riverland


SOUTH AUSTRALIA


D


rivetwohoursnorth-eastofAdelaide
andyou’llfindyourselfina wineregion
thatcrushesmorethana quarterof
Australia’swinegrapeseachyear.Whileit
doesn’tboastthehistoryofneighbouring
Barossa,orhavetheflashofMcLarenVale,
theRiverland’scontributiontoAustralian
wineis nolessimportantthanitsneighbours.
Whenyoufirstlookat thelistofRiverland
winemakers,it’sa Who’sWhoofbignames
producingupwardsofa halfa millioncases
of wine annually, which often leads to the

assumptionthattheregionproducesa high-volume
oflow-qualitywine.Thiscouldn’tbefurtherfrom
thetruth.It’sthismisconception(andveryaffordable
landprices)thathasledaward-winningviticulturist
AshleyRatclifftochampiontheregionandbuild
a groundswellofexcitementaboutfruitfromthe
Riverlandformorethana decade.
RatcliffmakeswineundertheRiccaTerra
label,butalsosuppliesfruittowineriesacross
thecountry– a processthatheoverseesclosely
toensurequality.“Wecontroleverystepofthe
process,” he says. “The vines are hand-pruned

Samanthais
a sommelier,
writerandwine
consultant.
@sl_payne


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