Coonawarra is a flat wine area in South Australia with a narrow, cigar-shaped strip of reddish, iron-rich terra rossa soil over limestone. The soil drains freely, and maritime conditions include cold ocean-current upwelling, cool summer nights and cloud cover. Cabernet Sauvignon is Coonawarra's main grape. The wines are medium to full-bodied, with cassis, blackberry, plum and dark cherry, firm tannins with a rounded texture, and the potential to age for a long time.
Continue through the region
Elsewhere in South Australia
- Adelaide Hills7 producersHigh, cool and wet by Australian standards, Adelaide Hills has varied altitudes and aspects. Its Sauvignon Blanc often shows grapefruit and tropical notes, with crisp acidity.
- Barossa Valley13 producersWarm, dry Barossa Valley in South Australia is known for full-bodied Shiraz and old vineyards, some dating to the nineteenth century. Cooler Eden Valley rises beside it within the wider Barossa zone.
- Clare Valley1 producerClare Valley Riesling is restrained when young, with lime and mineral notes, and can develop over decades. Its Shiraz is fuller, with ripe blackberry, spice and mint.
- McLaren Vale10 producersMcLaren Vale's maritime Mediterranean setting and varied soils give Shiraz and Grenache room to vary. Its Shiraz often combines fruit with spice and, sometimes, an earthy note.
Producers in Coonawarra
Producer profiles
- Penley EstateCoonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon from a family estate that has made its own wines since 1988.
- Wynns Coonawarra EstateCoonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon shaped by cool-climate ripening, terra rossa soils and parcel-by-parcel cellar work.