The Langhorne Creek wine region is located south-east of the city of Adelaide in South Australia. The growing season climate is predominantly shaped by the onshore southerly winds blowing directly from the Southern Ocean across Lake Alexandrina.
The prevailing southerlies reduce daytime temperature fluctuations. The GI region is 241 km2 in size and has a total of 6069 hectares of vineyards. The main varieties grown in the region are Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay.
Langhorne Creek Regional Snapshot 2023-24
Regional Snapshots are one-page profiles updated annually of individual Australian wine regions. They provide at-a-glance summary statistics on: climatic characteristics, viticulture data, winegrape production, and winegrape price and export sales data for wine, compared against the same statistics for the whole of Australia.
Download nowCabernet Sauvignon and Blends
Generally the wines are immediately accessible, soft and fragrant. Flavours are in the red berry spectrum, often with gentle minty and chocolate overtones. As in the Clare Valley, Malbec adds a particular dimension when added to the blend, providing a juicy wine with loads of cassis and dark berry flavours.
Shiraz and Blends
Often released as a single varietal but also blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Malbec, Shiraz produces strikingly fruity wines with flavours/aromas of cherry and mint. Its hallmark regional softness finishes with a hint of spice.
- The growing season climate is predominantly shaped by the onshore southerly winds blowing directly from the Southern Ocean across Lake Alexandrina. The prevailing southerlies reduce daytime temperature fluctuations.
- These southerlies also decrease sunshine hours and overall summer temperatures, while increasing the relative humidity.
- The majority of rainfall occurs in winter and spring.
- Irrigation is universally practised, in part by the unique method of diverting the Bremer River and deliberately flooding the land in late winter.
- Langhorne Creek’s fertile soils are predominantly deep, alluvial sandy loams that vary in colour from red-brown to dark grey, with patches of black, self-mulching clays.
- All soil types promote vine vigour, generous canopies and cropping levels.