McLaren Vale Flashcards
Where is McLaren Vale located?
McLaren Vale is located around 30 km south of Adelaide at the northern end of the peninsula
with the Gulf St. Vincent to the west and the Adelaide Hills to the east
What is the climatic conditions?
The region has warm to hot summers although winds blowing in off the Gulf and down
from the Adelaide Hills moderate the climate and also keep the risk of disease low. Rainfall
levels are relatively low during the growing season. Proximity to the sea is one factor influencing vineyard climate, as is
altitude: vineyards stretch from sea level to around 350m, with most planted on flat or gently
undulating land between 50 and 250 m.
How many hectares?
7,200 ha
What are the soils?
McLaren Vale has a particularly complex geology: many major soil types have been
identified, varying from sand to loam to clay. In general, the soils in the north of the region are
poor with lower levels of nutrients, whereas those in the south are deeper and more fertile,
producing higher yields.
What grapes are grown, style, quality and price?
Black grape varieties made up over 90 per cent of the harvested fruit weight in 2019.
Production ranges from inexpensive, high volume bottlings to super- premium priced wines,
covering both single-varietal and blends. Shiraz is the most planted, with over half of total
plantings, followed by Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache. McLaren Vale reds tend to be
deep-coloured and full-bodied with high alcohol levels and pronounced dark fruit flavours.
Many have spice characteristics from oak. In the hotter, lower sites, the fruit flavours can
become cooked or jammy. Higher elevations give wines with higher acidity and tannins.
Which factor contributes to the higher quality wines of the region?
Although many old vines were lost in the vine pull scheme of the 1980s, there are still
significant stocks of old, dry-farmed bush-vine Shiraz and Grenache, particularly around Blewitt
Springs in the north of the region where sandy soils over a clay base help water retention. Old
vine Grenache has particularly begun to
attract attention, producing wines with
medium tannins and acidity, a medium
to medium (+) body, and fresh red fruit
and spice or herbal characteristics. If oak
is used at all, it tends to be old to avoid
overwhelming the primary flavours.
These wines tend to be premium-priced
Do they employ organic, biodynamic or sustainable practises?
The low disease pressure makes McLaren Vale ideal for organic and biodynamic
viticulture and an increasing number of producers are now certified. The region developed
its own sustainability programme, Sustainable Winegrowing Australia, to improve quality and
minimise environmental impacts. One feature of the programme is sustainable water use.
Many vineyards, especially in the hotter, lower areas, rely on irrigation and this is now sourced
almost entirely from sustainable resources: dams, boreholes and recycled wastewater from
Adelaide
Do they experiment with other varieties?
This century, there has been
increased interest in Mediterranean
varieties in the region, such as
Mourvèdre, Sangiovese and Fiano,
which can retain acidity levels in
the warmer climate
Significant producers
Hardys, Mollydooker and Yangarra, d’Arenberg
