{"id":2471,"date":"2023-08-16T10:12:54","date_gmt":"2023-08-16T00:12:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/travisschultz.com.au\/?p=2471"},"modified":"2023-09-20T11:16:28","modified_gmt":"2023-09-20T01:16:28","slug":"the-lane-vineyard-chardonnay-the-future-star-of-the-adelaide-hills","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/travisschultz.com.au\/the-lane-vineyard-chardonnay-the-future-star-of-the-adelaide-hills\/","title":{"rendered":"The Lane Vineyard Chardonnay – The Future Star of the Adelaide Hills"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
If you ask the Adelaide Hills locals, they’ll likely tell you that the local Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir are the best varietals produced in their region. After all, it’s been producers like Martin Shaw of Shaw and Smith<\/a> who have made Adelaide Hills Sauvies Australia’s answer to the ever-popular Marlborough versions. And it’s Ashton Hills<\/a> with their reserve Pinot that has given the mainland a pinot that can compete with the best from across the Bass Straight and even the Tasman Sea. But as good as their Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot may be, I’m firmly convinced that it’s their Chardonnay that will prove to be the star of the Adelaide Hills over the next 20 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just like Orange in New South Wales, the Adelaide Hills elevation means that it is well placed to adjust to climate change in coming years. The cooling breezes from the southern ocean create microclimates in many of the valleys and gullies through the Hills, and these pockets have proven themselves to be ideally suited to Chardonnay, especially in places like the Piccadilly Valley. The warm days in summer and cooler nights are perfect for Chardy as the fruit is able to ripen well and develop intensity of flavour, yet preserve the natural acidity that provides balance and structure. If we see temperatures rise by 2 \u2013 3 degrees in the coming decades, I suspect that Chardonnay will cope relatively well, while sauvignon blanc and Pinot might find themselves calling for an ice bucket and a wet towel!<\/p>\n\n\n\n During a recent visit, I was struck by just how cold the place can be in winter (at least for a Queenslander). Thank goodness spring is just around the corner! On a chilly August Friday afternoon on which the mercury was only able to manage 10 degrees, it was The Lane Vineyard<\/a><\/em> at Balhannah (near Hahndorf) that offered respite from the chilly mountain air. Their range includes everything from sauvignon blanc to pinot noir, and shiraz to pinot gris. But it was the range of Chardonnay that saw my oenological radar lock on like a surface to air missile!<\/p>\n\n\n\n