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.
Cabernet Franc is one of the oldest red grape varieties in Bordeaux. The Libourne region is its terroir where it develops best. The terroirs of Saint-Emilion and Fronsac allow it to mature and develop its best range of aromas. It is also the majority in many blends. The very famous Château Cheval Blanc, for example, uses 60% Cabernet Franc. The wines produced with Cabernet Franc are medium in colour with fine tannins and subtle aromas of small red fruits and spices. When blended with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, it brings complexity and a bouquet of aromas to the wine. It produces fruity wines that can be drunk quite quickly, but whose great vintages can be kept for a long time. It is an earlier grape variety than Cabernet Sauvignon, which means that it is planted as far north as the Loire Valley. In Anjou, it is also used to make sweet rosé wines. Cabernet Franc is now used in some twenty countries in Europe and throughout the world.
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 picadillo, lamb curry or duck aiguillettes.
On the nose in the region of Mount Lofty Ranges often reveals types of flavors of cream, cherry or oaky and sometimes also flavors of smoke, earthy or blackberry. In the mouth in the region of Mount Lofty Ranges is a powerful with a nice freshness.
