The Mount Lofty Ranges is a wine zone in SouthAustralia encompassing the wine regions of Adelaide Hills, Clare Valley and Adelaide Plains. It is named after the range of mountains to the east of the city of Adelaide.
In line with South Australia's other winegrowing areas, conditions within the zone are strongly influenced by variations in topography, including altitude, proximity to the coast and a wide array of soil types. As a result, the three Mount Lofty regions have different climatic and grape-growing conditions.
For example, the Adelaide Hills region has a distinctly cool Climate, which assists in the production of varieties such as Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling. It also specializes in Sparkling wines. By contrast, Adelaide Plains is very Warm, due to a lack of elevation, and mostly produces red wines. Clare Valley's wine production is ruled by its continental climate.
The Mount Lofty Ranges zone borders the Barossa Valley on three sides, but the Barossa and Eden Valleys fall within the Barossa Zone.
A very old grape variety, most likely originating in Italy, now cultivated mainly in the central and central-eastern parts of this country, registered in France in the Official Catalogue of wine grape varieties, list A1. Montepulciano has long been confused with sangiovese or nielluccio, an A.D.N. analysis has shown that it is different.
red wines from the region of Mount Lofty Ranges go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, lamb or game (deer, venison) such as recipes of fondue vigneronne au vin rouge, lamb garam massala or rabbit with prunes.
On the nose in the region of Mount Lofty Ranges often reveals types of flavors of oaky, oak or black fruit and sometimes also flavors of cherry, vanilla or plum. In the mouth in the region of Mount Lofty Ranges is a powerful with a nice balance between acidity and tannins.
