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.
It is said to be of Slovenian origin, where it is cultivated under the name of Prosekar, also known for a long time in Italy under the name of Glera. It should not be confused with prosecco lungo - although there is a family link - and prosecco nostrano, which is none other than Tuscany's malvasia. Note that Vitouska - another Italian grape variety - is the result of a natural intraspecific cross between Tuscan malvasia and Prosecco. Under the name of Glera, it is registered in the Official Catalogue of wine grape varieties list A. It can be found in practically all of the former Yugoslavia, and more surprisingly in Argentina, but is virtually unknown in France.
sparkling wines from the region of Mount Lofty Ranges go well with generally quite well with dishes of rich fish (salmon, tuna etc), shellfish or mature and hard cheese such as recipes of poached salmon in coconut milk with curry, chinese fried shrimp ravioli or scrambled eggs with bacon on toast.
On the nose in the region of Mount Lofty Ranges often reveals types of flavors of citrus, yeast or non oak and sometimes also flavors of microbio, citrus fruit or tree fruit.
