Coonawarra
A thin strip of red soil that makes Australia's benchmark Cabernet.
Coonawarra: the home of Cabernet Sauvignon
Coonawarra is famous for one thing and does it superbly: Cabernet Sauvignon grown on a narrow cigar-shaped strip of red soil called terra rossa, over limestone. That distinctive earth, in a cool corner of South Australia, gives Cabernet a structure and minty, blackcurrant character that has made Coonawarra the Australian Cabernet benchmark.
The wines
Cabernet Sauvignon dominates, structured and ageworthy, with cassis, mint and fine tannin. The terra rossa soil is so prized that the entire region is essentially that single seam of red earth, a few kilometres wide.
Where to go
The cellar doors line the main road through the terra rossa strip, easy to visit one after another. It is remote, between Adelaide and Melbourne, which keeps it quiet and serious about its wine.
Eat
Local lamb and produce suit the region's structured reds. Cabernet with roast lamb is the obvious and excellent match.
Getting there
Drive about four and a half hours from Adelaide or five from Melbourne, or fly to nearby Mount Gambier. A car is essential.
Know the wine before you go.
The app teaches you Cabernet Sauvignon in five minutes, then helps you order it with confidence. Learn the grape, then come back and plan the trip.
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Coonawarra, quick answers.
What wine is Coonawarra known for?
Cabernet Sauvignon, considered Australia's benchmark, grown on a famous strip of red terra rossa soil over limestone.
What is terra rossa?
A distinctive red soil over limestone that defines Coonawarra. The region is essentially one narrow cigar-shaped band of it.
Is Coonawarra easy to visit?
The cellar doors are conveniently lined along one road, but the region itself is remote, roughly midway between Adelaide and Melbourne.
