South Australia is the most dominant force in the country's wine industry. The state's significance is not only attributed to the volume of production, which is almost half of Australia's total output, but also due to its role in bringing in prestige and repute to its wines. The state is home to some of the most renowned and recognizable wine regions of the world producing a vast array of wines ranging from the super premium and carefully nurtured red wines, light white wines in every style imaginable to the lower end blends hard to miss on supermarket shelves around the world. For individual descriptions of the South Australian wine regions, please see the table below.
A vastly variable climate and geography makes the southeastern part of the state a diverse area. Not many places in the world can compare to its ability to produce stylistic wines from entirely opposite end of grape-growing spectrum - those resembling cool climate styles, like Clare Valley Rieslings to the classic bold and full-bodied examples of red wines produced in hot and sunny conditions found in regions like the Barossa. The cooler areas occupy the higher altitude landscapes whereas the valley floors and inland areas like Riverland are known for their warm growing conditions.
South Australia's, and to the country's to a large extent, claim to fame is undoubtedly Shiraz. This northern Rhône gem has adapted amazingly well to the local terroir producing some of the most sought after and highly acclaimed wines in the world. Brands like Penfolds Grange and Henschke Hill of Grace owe their cult status to this variety. But there are many other prominent grape varieties suited to its individual regions like Cabernet Sauvignon from the Limestone Coast regions of Coonawarra and Padthaway, Grenache and other southern Rhône style blends from McLaren Vale and Langhorne Creek, Riesling from Clare and Eden Valleys, Chardonnay from across the best sites suitable to the variety and many others.
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