The Limestone coast is an important South Australian wine region, both as the home to one of the countries greatest fine wine areas, Coonawarra, but also the significant Padthaway vineyards, developed by Wynns, Seppelt and BRL Hardy as well as up and coming areas of Mount Benson and Wrattonbully.
Before Margaret River Coonawarra was certainly the most famous of Australian Cabernet Sauvignon producing regions. Its dark, iron rich terra rossa soils over a limestone base are thought to bring the region much of its appeal, particularly with Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. Significantly Coonawarra is only a relatively small region, being only 12km long and 2km wide, but within its boundaries famous names have emerged such as Wynns Coonawarra and Petaluma.
Padthaway has often been used as a source of fruit for major companies although a range of quality independent wineries exist, such as Elize Padthaway Estate. It is one of the warmest areas within the Limestone Coast but is still relatively cool making it appropriate for production of mid-weight, fruit forward styles.
Mount Benson and Wrattonbully are both largely quite newly developed areas, Both have shown potential but in quite different styles – Wrattonbully with Coonawarra-like depth of fruit while the cooler vineyards of Mount Benson show more restrained fruit styles. Both are very much regions to watch.
