Travel Guide Coonawarra Valley

The wine-growing operation of the Coonawarra lands began more than a century ago in 1890, thanks to the installation of the Coonawarra Fruit Colony of Scotland John Riddoch. On his death in 1901, the Ridman family returned to production, crossing the turbulent periods of the Great Depression and the two world wars. In 1951 Samuel Wynn revived the land of his ashes. Other investors follow this, a prelude to the renaissance of the region. The Coonawarra began to be known in the mid s, and really appreciated from the 1970 s and 1980 s, except for its short celebrity period in the 1890 s.This'terra rossa'produces one of the country's best red wines. The vineyards extend to a narrow strip of land in a cigar form 12 km long and 2 km wide. This surface, almost entirely planted, is divided into about farms. Although the prices of these wines have increased in recent years, they are still very interesting compared to those of Bordeaux or Californian wines. At first glance, the Coonawarra has nothing for him. It is a cold and humid winter in winter, hot and hot in the summer, but it is the breeding land of high quality wine. Its characteristics vary greatly, but the best wines are rich, with some severity, deep depth and good duration in the mouth, a fruity taste on the palate.Varieties. The main ones are Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, even though the assemblages are increasingly complex, including Merlot and Cabernet franc. Fruit aromas dominate, from cassis to plum, from red cherry to prune. From 1890 to 1950, the winery was almost the only grape, apart from a few cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache. Then the growing fame of the Cabernet threatened him. The two main plants are the Cabernet (50%) and the shiraz (21%). There are also Chardonnay (10%), Riesling (6%), Merlot (6%), Pinot Noir (3%).