Mount Gambier wine region is a

wine region This list of wine-producing regions catalogues significant growing regions where vineyards are planted. Wine grapes mostly grow between the 30th and the 50th degree of latitude, in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres. Grapes will sometimes ...

located in the south east of

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...

around the regional city of

Mount Gambier Mount Gambier is the second most populated city in South Australia, with an estimated urban population of 33,233 . The city is located on the slopes of Mount Gambier, a volcano in the south east of the state, about south-east of the capital Ad ...

. The first planting of vines occurred in 1982. The region received

appellation An appellation is a legally defined and protected geographical indication primarily used to identify where the grapes for a wine were grown, although other types of food often have appellations as well. Restrictions other than geographical boun ...

as an Australian Geographical Indication in 2010 and as of 2014, is represented by 20 vineyards and eight wineries.

Extent and appellation

The Mount Gambier wine region is the southernmost region in the

Limestone Coast wine zone Limestone Coast zone is a wine zone located in the south east of South Australia. It extends south of a line of latitude approximately in line with Cape Willoughby at the east end of Kangaroo Island and it is bounded by the continental coastl ...

. It covers the area around the principal regional city of Mount Gambier and is bounded to the north by the Coonawarra just north of Nangwarry, to the east by the border with

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

and to the south by the continental coastline from the border to

Carpenter Rocks Carpenter Rocks is a town and locality located south-west of Mount Gambier in the south-east of South Australia. The area faces the Southern Ocean and is renowned for its rugged coastline which provides exceptional fishing and diving locations. ...

in the west. The Mount Gambier wine region was registered as an Australian Geographical Indication on 21 December 2010.Halliday, 2012, pages 52-53

History

The first plantings occurred in 1982 in a vineyard established by Sandy and Helen Haig immediately south of the city of Mount Gambier. The establishment of vineyards within the wine region is attributed to primary producers diversifying away from dairy production following the corporatisation and deregulation of that industry beginning in the late 1970s. Vineyards are exclusively family businesses ‘usually associated with other agricultural pursuits such as orchards, grazing, hay production and animal husbandry.’ The vineyards planted in the 1980s focused on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir varieties while establishments in the 1990s included varieties such as Cabernet and Merlot. Between the years 2001 and 2010, the majority of the region’s vineyards were planted with a total planted area of for the region as of 2011. As of 2014, there are at least 20 vineyards and eight associated wineries in operation within the region.Longbottom et al, 2011, page 35

Grapes and wine

As of 2011, the most common plantings in the Mount Gambier region are Sauvignon Blanc (38% of total area) followed by Pinot Noir (29%), Chardonnay (15%) and Pinot Gris (10%). Alternatively, white wine varieties account for 65% of plantings while red wines varieties account for 35% of plantings.Longbottom et al, 2011, page 37

Citations and references

Citations

References

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External links

Mount Gambier Regional Winegrowers Inc homepage
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mount Gambier wine region Wine regions of South Australia Limestone Coast