South Australia

South Australia is the wine capital of Australia and produce approximately 50% of Australia's total wine production.

There is a rich diversity of climates and as a result wine varieties produced in South Australia. The relatively warm climate of the Barossa Valley, Riverland region (aka Murray Valley) and McLaren Vale are well known for intense full bodied reds, rich whites and spectacular fortified wines.

The cooler Adelaide Hills region is better known for sophisticated whites and sparkling wines. Coonawarra is a further well known region of South Australia which produces memorable reds including cabernet.

Some of the oldest individual vines in the world can be found in South Australia's Adelaide Hills and the Barossa Valley. Whilst the great phylloxera plagues wiped out the vines of North America and Europe, and later devastated Australia's eastern vineyards, the isolation of these South Australian vineyards from the rest of the world allowed these vines to survive.

South Australia has a great deal to offer the wine enthusiast in terms of wine tasting. There is a wide selection of wineries, many very close in proximity to Adelaide with many good quality low cost wines available at the cellar door.