The Adelaide Hills appellation lies in the Mount Lofty Ranges, east of the city of Adelaide, in South Australia. It runs along a strip roughly 70 kilometres long, from Mount Pleasant in the north to Mount Compass in the south, bordered by the Barossa Valley to the north and by McLaren Vale and Langhorne Creek to the south. Two sub-regions are recognised within it, Lenswood and Piccadilly Valley, set apart by their particular soils and their own microclimate. Vineyards are planted at altitude, rising to 600-650 metres at the highest sites such as Piccadilly and Summertown, making it one of Australia's coolest and most elevated wine regions. The soils, grey-brown to brown, are loamy sands, at times sandy over clay subsoil. This cool climate, with rainfall concentrated in winter and spring, sets Adelaide Hills clearly apart from its warmer neighbouring regions. A wide range of white and red grape varieties is grown here, with a clear white majority, led by chardonnay and sauvignon blanc, followed by pinot noir and shiraz.
Grape varieties: Vins rouges : cabernet-sauvignon, merlot, pinot noir, syrah. Vins blancs : chardonnay, sémillon, riesling, chenin, colombard, sauvignon
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Adelaide Hills produces mostly white wines, alongside reds and sparkling wines. Sauvignon blanc and chardonnay lead the whites, with an aromatic profile marked by citrus, stone fruit and the crisp acidity typical of a cool climate. Pinot noir, the leading red variety alongside shiraz, gives fine wines with supple tannins and aromas of red fruit and gentle spice. In the Piccadilly Valley sub-region, where ripening conditions echo those of Champagne, chardonnay and pinot noir are also used to make sparkling wine. The sustained acidity brought by the cool climate gives these wines good ageing potential. The crisp whites pair readily with seafood, fish and light poultry dishes, while the pinot noirs suit duck, salmon or soft-rind cheeses, and the fuller-bodied shiraz go well with grilled red meats.
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