The Mount Lofty Ranges is a wine zone in South Australia encompassing the wine regions of Adelaide Hills, Clare Valley and Adelaide Plains.
In line with South Australia's other winegrowing areas, the zone's conditions 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.
