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South Australia and Fleurieu On Web  is justifyably proud of its heritage and history, you are invited to take your time to explore the Langhorne Creek  region which  is part of the Fleurieu Wine Zone and one of the best kept secrets in Australian viticulture. Although the recent $15 million investment by Orlando in a purpose-designed new 315 ha vineyard development for the Jacob's Creek brand underlines what companies such as Lindemans and Mildara Blass have known for decades - this is a remarkably good area for soft, fruity, medium bodied red wines.

Enjoy a lazy detour though lush hills and along the descending Angus and Bremer Rivers to historic Strathalbyn and get to know yet another flavour of this luscious region. The Creek is just 15 mins drive south of Strath.

To visit  Langhorne Creek is to experience more than quietly ravishing scenery for here is the cradle of South Australian wine and here you will find the tastes of today and tomorrow.



The many wineries of the district stimulated the establishment of a garland of regional restaurants of rare quality and variety, throughout the district. The  restaurants are as charming as they are creative with accommodation to suit all moods.
 
 
 

Bleasdale  Bremerton Lake Breeze  Temple Bruer
CurrencyCreek  Middleton

Climate 

The growing season climate is predominantly shaped by the on-shore southerly winds blowing in from the Southern Ocean and across Lake Alexandrina. While intermittently broken by periods of very hot weather associated with northerly winds emanating from Central Australia, the prevailing southerlies normally reduce daytime temperature fluctuations; they also decrease sunshine hours and overall summer temperatures while increasing the relative humidity. The winter-spring rainfall pattern persists, however, and irrigation is universally practised - in parts by the unique method of diverting the Bremer River and deliberately flooding the land in late winter, but in the large new vineyards utilising conventional drip irrigation. The resultant mild climate produces wines which are softer and fruitier than usual, and have long been sought by the major companies as important blend components, particularly in large volume commercial red wines. 

The flat river delta landscape is ideally suited for large scale, relatively low cost vineyard developments, with a high degree of mechanisation commonplace. These are predominantly deep alluvial sandy loams varying from red-brown to dark grey, with patches of black, self mulching clays. All promote vine vigour and generous canopies and cropping levels. 

While less than 10% of the wine currently made from grapes grown in Langhorne Creek is sold as a single-region wine, the style is relatively easy to define. On the one hand there are the wines made by the 4 small wineries in the region, and on the other hand there are the blended wines from the major companies in which the Langhorne Creek component makes an obvious contribution. Langhorne Creek was the anvil upon which Wolf Blass made much of his reputation in the 1970s and '80s, producing immediately accessible, soft and fragrant Cabernet blends which melted into the American oak barrels in which the wines were matured. The flavours are in the red berry spectrum, often with some gentle minty and chocolate overtones, seldom herbaceous or tannic. As with the Clare Valley, Malbec adds a particular dimension when added to the blend, providing an almost riotously juicy wine, with more cassis evident.

Often released as a single varietal, but also blended with all or any of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Malbec, again producing strikingly fruity wines with flavours and aromas of cherry and mint, finishing with that hallmark regional softness yet a hint of spice.

Although produced in relatively small quantities, a regional specialty, particularly as a fortified wine in the style of Madeira, but increasingly handled as a soft, early maturing table wine. 

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Lake Breeze Wines of Langhorne Creek  who were awarded three trophies at the Oct 1998 Adelaide Wine Show. The awards were won at the 1996 Winemaker's Selection Shiraz, in what is considered to be the toughest wine show in Australia. They were:
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The Cork & Seals Trophy - best varietal dry red table wine Shiraz.
The Wine Industry Journal Trophy - best dry red table wine, any variety.
The Wine Press Club Trophy - best dry red table wine in show
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