Coonawarra

Coonawarra is famous for Australia's best Cabernet Sauvignon. Surprisingly, Coonawarra is even cooler than Bordeaux, and the wines display a huge structure with firm tannins and a seductive eucalyptus note. With its Mediterranean climate, famous terra rossa soils on a limestone base and deep-rooted water table, Coonawarra offers almost ideal growing conditions for wine grapes. Terra Rossa, named for its red color caused by iron oxide, provides excellent drainage and is widely regarded as a critical part of Coonawarra's success as a wine-producing area. It is cooler than any other region in South Australia, and frost protection is actually a concern. The red and now also white (chardonnay) grapes are very popular and often have an excellent price/quality ratio.