The Coonawarra Wine Region of South Australia
The History and Development of the Limestone Coast Wine Industry
Jun 30, 2009
The land here is red and glowing, similar to the red earth of the Outback. But this is fertile land, originally used for sheep and cattle grazing. The Limestone Coast gets its name from the bed of limestone which underlies the red earth and provides excellent drainage for the area. The strip of red earth, the Terra Rossa, is long and narrow, only 2km wide and about 15 km long.
History of Coonawarra Wine Making
The area's potential as a grape growing area was first recognised in 1891 by a Scot, John Riddoch, who had made his fortune on the Ballarat goldfields, not by prospecting but by opening a store where the miners spent their money. Realising that the rich soil and the long, cool growing season were ideal for grapes, he planted acres of vines which flourished. In 1951, the vineyards and winery were sold to David and Samuel Wynn, Melbourne wine merchants, who called the property Wynns Coonawarra Estate and which is nowadays the largest vineyard in the area.
Today, the Limestone Coast's 13,600 acres of vineyards stretch from Bordertown in the north to Kalangadoo near the southern coast. John Riddoch's great grandson, Peter Rymill, established the Rymill Coonawarra Winery in 1990.
Coonawarra's Distinctive Soil and Climate
The Terra Rossa soil, though rich, forms only a thin layer above the limestone rock and vines have to struggle to send roots through to the water table below. This results in a low yield of grapes but they do have an intense flavour. The climate is cool by Australian standards and there is a danger of frost in the winter months of July and August. The long ripening period allows the grapes to ripen to perfection and Coonawarra's wines are noted for their richness and depth of flavour.
Grape Varieties Grown in the Coonawarra Region
- The area is particularly noted for Cabernet Sauvignon with 50% of the region growing the grape. Its flavours are rich and concentrated and vary from plum and blackcurrant through to red cherry and prune.
- Shiraz was the predominant type in the first half of the twentieth century but fell out of favour when Cabernet Sauvignon became popular, but it is now regaining its position with nearly a quarter of the acreage given over to it.
- Chardonnay grapes are ideally suited to the area but until recently, most was given over to the production of sparkling wines. At present, 10% of vines are Chardonnay.
- Riesling is gaining in popularity although for many years, overshadowed by the successes of the reds. The proportion of grapes grown of this variety is 6% with an equal acreage of Merlot and a small amount of Pinot Noir.
Wineries and Cellar Doors in Coonawarra
There are at present 16 wineries and 23 cellar doors concentrated within a few miles of the town. Some, like Brand's Laira and Redman's, have been in existence for many years but since the 1980's many more wineries have sprung up and are proving to be excellent producers of world class wines. Majella wines, set up in 1995, won the Best Wine Award at the Limestone Coast Wine Show in 2008 with a 2006 Cabernet.
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