Southern Flinders Ranges is the only wine region in the Far North zone of South Australia and is located north of Clare Valley and east of the Spencer Gulf. It is a comparatively new wine region, with serious commercial wine growing dating back only as far as the late 20th century. The increase in vineyards followed a renewed surge of interest in wine and the resulting boom in demand. In recent years the area has become a major source of wine grapes for large wineries and multi-national corporations, mainly in the Barossa Valley, although other wineries have set up operations here and are producing 'Flinders Ranges' wines.
The region's climate is influenced by its variable altitude as well as its latitude of 33 degrees south. The elevation ranges from a mere 66ft (20m) near the coast, to 2355ft (718m) at the peak of Frypan Hill; most vineyards, though, lie at between 1150 and 1800ft (350 and 550m). This height, along with proximity to the cooler south and south-westerly influences from the Spencer Gulf, keeps temperatures lower than those which prevail in some of the inland mass-irrigated areas at a similar latitude. However, the Southern Flinders Ranges region does share their aridity/dryness, as suggested by the sparseness of its rainfall (6.3 inches/161mm) during the growing season, and irrigation is required. Many producers take advantage of the conditions to produce low-yield 'dry-grown' fruit, prized for its high levels of concentration. (© Proprietary Content, Wine-Searcher)
Strong demand for the region's grapes by some of the big names of the Australian wine industry confirms its potential as a quality wine-growing area producing a wide range of grape varieties. At present, Southern Flinders Ranges is particularly known for its premium-quality Shiraz, which has deep color and a rich and robust character; it is suitable for long-term cellaring. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are the other important grape varieties suited to the region's warm and dry climate.
