Adelaide Hills
posted September 24 2009
view from Mt. Lofty down on the Adelaide Hills' Piccadilly Valley
 

Adelaide Hills is more than a beautiful day trip or weekend lunching spot for Adelaidesiders. It's also a fantastic place to find good bottles of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Noir and bubbly.
Traveling west, away from the ocean you weave up and away from the plain of Adelaide City into the verdant geography and quaint towns within the Mt. Lofty ranges. Here, the prominent Mt.Lofty peak reaches for the sky shadowing the Piccadilly Valley.
There are two subregions within the Adelaide Hills, Lenswood and the Piccadilly Valley and although the region is considered cool-climate, like Clare Valley (and most other wine regions in the world), there are micro and meso-climates which can produce elegant Cabernet Sauvignons and Shirazes.
Adelaide Hills was the last region I visited in South Australia before flying to Melbourne and visiting the Yarra Valley and I was completely charmed by its rolling hills, lush greenery and picturesque vineyards.
Vines were planted in the Adelaide Hills as early as the mid-1800s but not until about 1980 did the region become revitalized and viticulture become a serious endeavor.
It was Brian Croser who was instrumental in this. Croser, one of Australia's most respected vintners was a key instigator with his launch of Petaluma in 1976. 

Petaluma
The waterwheel at Petaluma's restored 1850s Bridgewater Mill cellar door

As I pointed out above, Petaluma was founded in 1976 by one of Australia's most famous (and outspoken) winemakers, Brian Croser, who was also key in launching the renaissance of winemaking in the Adelaide Hills. But Petaluma also makes wine in Clare Valley and Coonawarra, the combination of the three regions gives Petaluma the diversity they desire in terroir and varietals to make the best wines possible.
I visited some of the Adelaide Hills vineyards with winemaker Peter Dredge and tasted the Croser Sparkling Brut high above the Piccadilly Valley before heading to Bridgewater Mill, a restored 1850s mill with its fantastic functioning water wheel. Here, the cellar door, a restaurant and cellars are located, with a patio adjacent to the giant waterwheel where you
can dine and relax among the greenery and
swishing water.
The winemaking is now lead by Andrew Hardy.
 

Petaluma Croser Sparkling Brut, Adelaide Hills, 2006 is made with 63% Pinot Noir and has aromas of red berries and apple with toasty, leesy notes. The palate is creamy with a full mousse, citrus and snappy acidity. It has just a kiss of sweetness to make the fruit pop on the palate.

Petaluma Hanlin Hill Riesling, Clare Valley, 2008 has plenty of lemon drop, flinty and lime oil aromas. It has an appealing viscosity to the palate with zingy fruit, citrus and mineral flavours and mouth-watering acidity.

Petaluma Viognier, Adelaide Hills, 2007 hailing from Petaluma's warmer B&V vineyard on Mount Barker the Viognier has bright citrus and stone fruit, spice and honeycomb with a rounded, lush palate and lively
acidity - not overblown or blousy as Viognier can become.

Petaluma Shiraz, Adelaide Hills, 2006 like the Viognier, also hails from the warmer B&V vineyard and has a pinch (4%) of co-fermented Viognier. Expect aromas of sun-warmed raspberries and black cherry, allspice and cedar. The palate is concentrated berry and creamy chocolate, espresso, cigarbox and sweet spice. Dense and dark throughout with ripe tannins on the finish.

Petaluma Coonawarra, 2006 this blend is made of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30%Merlot and the remainder,
Petit Verdot and Malbec. It has very appealing aromas of
blueberry and juicy raspberry, cedarbox spices and chocolate. The texture is gorgeous, slick and weighted, it has lifted acidity and flavours of sweet berries and spice an elongated finishe
and fine tannins.
The 2004 is all Cabernet and Merlot and is earthier with cedarbox and floral notes and red fruit of raspberry and red currents. The palate is very bright, it is sweet and supple with layers of fruit, spice and tobacco.
 

For more information on Petaluma click here

Shaw + Smith
The front lawn and Riesling Vines at Shaw + Smith

Sam Maitland (right), who brought drove me from Adelaide to where he works in the Adelaide Hills near Balhannan at Shaw + Smith introduced me to this lovely region.
It was in 1989 that cousins Martin Shaw (a winemaker) and Michael Hill Smith (the first Aussie Master of Wine) decided over lunch to make their own wine under a shared label. Smartly, they started small, not wanting to put themselves deeply into debt before knowing what the future held, or what they would need for the future. I was told that in the beginning their wines were made in the winery of Shaw's previous employer, Petaluma, but their website says the first batch was made in a tank at Wirra Wirra (both good wineries, so both stories are good) . Completed in 2000 the finished property is home to a gorgeous, but not ostentatious, modern office, tasting room and winery with a killer view and sprawling lawns.


Shaw + Smith Sauvignon Blanc, Adelaide Hills, 2008 shows fabulous stone fruit, creamy lemon and gooseberry aromas with secondary herbal and cut grass notes. It is crisp and fresh, the texture rounded and slightly creamy with a hint of sweetness but with loads of bright acidity and flavours of citrus and nectarine on the finish.

Shaw + Smith M3 Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills, 2007 Creamy, sweet butter aromas, melon and grilled pears, with toasted praline notes. The palate is clean with bright citrus, melon and pear, a lush mid-palate an snappy, crisp finish.


Shaw + Smith M3 Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills, 2008  again the newer vintage is creamy on the nose with more minerality and aromas of candied citrus peel, melon
and butterscotch. The palate is leaner but vibrant
on this younger vintage but you can expect plenty of lively, crisp fruit and warm spice hints.

Shaw + Smith Pinot Noir. Adelaide Hills, 2007 is the third vintage from the their Pinot Noir vines planted in 1994. It's a very good Pinot Noir with aromas of cedar, sour cherry and violets with undertones of saddle leather and herbs. The palate is elegant, silky smooth bright with tart red fruit, herbal flavours and fine white pepper and powdery tannins.


Shaw + Smith Riesling, Adelaide Hills, 2006 expect plenty of
marmalade and beeswax with lime oil a hint of stone fruits and delicate floral notes. The palate is snappy, the weight and texture sublime, it finishes crisp and dry.



Shaw + Smith Shiraz, Adelaide Hills, 2007 Juicy fruit aromas of blackberry and raspberry, sweet spice, purple floral and a unique saline minerality. That salinity reappears on the palate, ripe berry fruits, spice and bittersweet chocolate, it's plush without being
fat, focused and balanced with great acidity and fine clingy
tannins.
 

For more information on Shaw + Smith click here

The Lane Vineyard
Lunchtime inside The Lane Vineyard Bistro

The Lane Vineyard was a new name to me. I had never tasted their wines previously but I had an absolute blast doing so in Adelaide Hills with John Edwards and his former international Special Forces son, Marty. We toured their small winery (production is about 30,000 cases) and blasted through a tasting of their broad spectrum of wines before sitting down for a truly delicious lunch in the elegant, modern Lane Bistro. An utterly charming host with a booming voice and a predilection for colourful language, Edwards had me laughing a lot that afternoon.
Coming from a completely different background, with no previous vinous experience (except, I have no doubt, drinking it) John took a big gamble changing careers and becoming a vigneron for Hardy's in
order to gain some experience. Although the Lane's
first vintage was earlier, Edwards gave his full attention to The Lane as of 2005, growing the business with his family. The wines are all estate fruit and fall under three labels, "The Lane", "Ravenswood Lane" and the fun, consumer appealing "Off the Leash". Edwards has a impressive selection of varieties growing on this former pastureland, the wines are all solid, tasty and clean.
right: fresh, soft cheese on bread with EVOO
and pepper, squash tortellini and zuchinni blossoms
and beets with veg
below right: John & Marty Edwards

Off the Leash Max No Oak White, Adelaide Hills, 2008 is made from Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Semillon and shows bright, fruit driven aromas of citrus, orchard fruits, honey and some fresh herbs with plenty of minerality. It has a lovely weight and crisp, snappy flavours.

The Lane Gewurztraminer, Adelaide Hills 2008  has plenty of exotic floral and mandarin aromas with lychee. It is crisp and clean on the palate with lively acidity and plenty of tropical fruit and floral flavours.
Delicious!

The Lane Gathering Sauvignon Semillon, Adelaide Hills, 2008 is primarily Sauvignon with 28% Semillon. It has honey and lemon cream, with grass clippings and orange blossom aromas. The palate is very smooth, flavours of citrus fruits and honey appear, the finish is crisp.

The Lane Viognier, Adelaide Hills, 2007 is a single vineyard Viognier with gobs of apricot and peach, exotic spice and orange creamsicle. The palate is both mouth-watering and lush with fantastic minerality and plenty of stone fruit and spice flavours.

The Lane Pinot Grigio, Adelaide Hills, 2007 expect leesy, marzipan notes, with creamy pear and honey apples. The palate is ripe and rich with fruitcup flavours and pleasing minerality. It has a long mouth-watering finish.

Ravenswood Lane Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills 2007 is very reminiscent of a Burgundian style of Chardy showing creamy aromas, minerals and slate, brown butter and spice with pale fruit aromas. The palate is toasty but integrated with crisp fruit, spiced praline and minerality. Expect a long, smooth and fresh finish.


Off the Leash Max, Adelaide Hills 2006 is a blend of Shiraz with Viognier and it has fantastic, concentrated aromas of cherries and plums, spiced chocolate and dill with blueberry undertones. The palate is lush and spicy with loads of blueberry and cocoa and herbal hints. The tannins are ripe and its very easy drinking.


Ravenswood Lane Shiraz~Viognier Adelaide Hills, 2007 this single vineyard Shiraz will become The Lane Shiraz Block 14 as of 2008. The aromas are dense, earthy and chocolate with licorice and ripe purple berries. The palate is smooth and plush with great concentration and flavours of berries, espresso and
licorice with fine tannins and lingering leathery flavours on the finish.


The Lane 19th Meeting Cabernet Sauvignon, Adelaide Hills,
2007 was just bottled  prior to my visit but despite that it
showed fantastic aromas of currents and menthol with cedar
and cocoa. It is supple on the entry with a balanced, focused palate, coffee, cassis and mint, lively, sweet spice and excellent acidity with integrated tannins.
 

For more information on The Lane click here
 

Read about McLaren Vale
Read about Barossa Valley
Read about Clare Valley
Read about Adelaide Hills
Read about Hunter Valley, New South Wales
Read about Yarra Valley, Victoria