Adelaide Hills Viticulture
The Adelaide Hills wine-growing region lies above an altitude of 400 metres and varies from a gently-sloping landscape in the east to deep gullies with steep slopes where the region borders Adelaide. The altitude and the steep topography have a major cooling and humidifying effect on the climate which, along with the highest rainfall in the State, lends itself to the production of cool climate varieties such as Pinot Noir.
There is a wide range of soil types as you travel east to west across the river valleys of the Torrens and Onkaparinga. They vary from
sands to loams, with a red to yellow clay subsoil which is mostly based
on sandstone bedrock and is slightly acidic. A favourable feature of
the steep slopes is that they are generally covered by deep soils,
making the slopes preferred vineyard sites with less frost and better
water drainage.
The beautiful verdant valleys criss-cross the
north-facing slopes to capture the sun and provide protection from the
strong cold southerly wind.
Grape maturity is very dependent
on altitude, aspect and choice of variety. The vines are grown with
tall, well-exposed canopies to enhance ripening and flavour
development. The choice of variety is closely associated with the
climatic regimes within the region.
Piccadilly lies at the centre of the coolest, wettest section of the Adelaide Hills which gradually radiate north towards Birdwood, east to Woodside, and south to Meadows. The graduation from sparkling wine production to supple Pinot Noir, intense Sauvignon Blanc, beautifully structured Chardonnay, spicy Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon reflects the wonderful, gradual flow of climatic change across the region.
