Adelaide became a member of an exclusive group of Great Wine Capitals, joining eight of the world’s top wine regions. South Australian wineries produce almost 80 per cent of the country’s premium wine and half of Australia’s bottled wine.
The network’s ninth member joined Bilbao | Rioja (Spain), Bordeaux (France), Cape Town | Cape Winelands (South Africa), Mainz | Rheinhessen (Germany), Mendoza (Argentina), Porto (Portugal), and Valparaiso | Casablanca Valley (Chile).
Adelaide, home of the National Wine Centre and the country’s major industry representative and research organizations, is the gateway to the 18 wine regions of South Australia, most of which are within one or two hours by car.
Viticulture and winemaking have been practiced in the region practically since the founding of the colony. Vineyards were first planted in the 1840s in the area north of Adelaide which came to be known as the Barossa Valley.
