Australia’s larger winemakers are well-represented in this region, for Langhorne Creek Shiraz or Cabernet Sauvignon is a valued contributor to many South Eastern Australian red blends by such winemakers as Beringer Blass, Hardy, Orlando and Southcorp. The extent of the area under vine tends to be on a larger scale, and several holdings are in excess of 300 hectares (740 acres) in size. Such multi-million dollar investments emphasise what many wine producers have known for decades; this is a remarkably good area for soft, fruity, medium bodied red wines.

The flat, river delta landscape is ideally suited for large scale, relatively low cost vineyard developments where a high degree of mechanisation is commonplace. However, there are an increasing number of smaller wineries now based in the region, which are changing preconceived perceptions by producing regional red wines that retain the element of softness while at the same time adding richness and a remarkable concentration of colour and flavour.

There are no subregions.

The growing season climate is predominantly shaped by the on-shore southerly winds blowing directly from the Southern Ocean across Lake Alexandrina. While intermittently broken by periods of the very hot weather associated with northerly winds emanating from central Australia, the prevailing southerlies normally reduce daytime temperature fluctuations. These southerlies also decrease sunshine hours and overall summer temperatures while increasing the relative humidity. The winter-spring rainfall pattern persists. Irrigation is universally practised and in part, by the unique method of diverting the Bremer River and deliberately flooding the land in late winter. Newer vineyards also use, in the main, conventional drip irrigation.

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.