The Australian Wine Club: Time to let you in on the historic secrets of Langhorne Creek

Despite 175 years of history it’s possible that many will insist they have never tried a wine from Langhorne Creek. But it’s equally likely they actually have, without realising it.

A wine from a vineyard which has just celebrated its 175th birthday is included in this week’s mixed case from The Australian Wine Club.

As the wind whips across Lake Alexandrina, and the grapes clustered on the neighbouring river delta seem to shiver slightly, those in the know understand what makes Langhorne Creek special.

Just under an hour’s drive southeast of Adelaide, Langhorne Creek holds a unique place in Australia’s winemaking ecosystem, with the best part of two centuries of viticultural history that’s effectively hidden in plain sight. It’s possible that many readers will insist they have never tried a wine from Langhorne Creek, and it’s equally likely they actually have, without realising it.

Langhorne is the second-largest grape-producing region in South Australia but for many years the bulk of those grapes were used by the behemoths of this country’s winemaking industry for generic batches.

But nowadays there is a determination to celebrate its unique microclimate, rich soils and an even richer history of quiet excellence in wine and food.

What many believe to be the oldest family-owned cabernet sauvignon vines in the world are part of 175 years of winemaking tradition in Langhorne Creek, with cellar doors where fifth-generation winemakers will pour you a glass. We can be pretty definitive about that figure because Bleasdale, the oldest of the Langhorne Creek independent wineries, just celebrated its 175th birthday.

Leigh Warren, general manager Bleasdale Vineyards

“There’s eight cellar doors here and we know we fly under the radar as a region,” says Leigh Warren, general manager of Bleasdale Vineyards. “But there’s a lot of goodwill among us for each other – when everyone’s doing well, it helps us all promote the region.”

There is much to celebrate too, as this week’s mixed case from The Australian Wine Club showcases. There’s a 2021 shiraz from Bleasdale so garlanded with medals and awards they’re almost running out of space to list them on the bottle, and an award-winning malbec from Zonte’s Footstep that – like the Bleasdale shiraz – is rated 95 points by James Halliday.

Two local cabernet sauvignons are part of the case too – the 2021 Close of Play iteration from Ricky Ponting’s eponymous wine label (rated 90 points by Halliday) and a 2022 vintage from Lake Breeze. At just $17.99 a bottle (saving almost 30 per cent on the RRP), and with the cooler evenings of autumn upon us, this is an investment that will pay early dividends.

As Leigh Warren explains, the quality in those wines is in part due to a unique set of geographic and meteorological circumstances that were spotted by a ferry master called Frank Potts on his way to a job 175 years ago. Potts bought a block of land on the fertile floodplain between the Angas and Bremer rivers and in 1850 founded what is now Bleasdale.

“Frank discovered viticultural gold down here, it’s a unique climate that I suppose you could call maritime moderate,” says Warren. “Langhorne Creek is pretty flat and we sit on the top of Lake Alexandrina, which is more than 10 times the water mass of Sydney Harbour. There’s quite a big body of water there that picks up the southern Antarctic Ocean breeze – in the summer, if it’s a hot day, that ocean breeze comes over pretty religiously around 4pm and it cools the vines off.

“The proximity to the lake allows the grapes to ripen evenly over an extended period with warm days and cooler nights in summer to other regions.”

Since Potts first put down roots, the floods each year have acted as natural irrigation – not just watering those roots but refreshing the quality of the soil that produces lettuces, potatoes and brussels sprouts for much of Australia. “That’s one of the reasons Frank Potts settled here as well, the alluvial soil the floodplain has provided over the years,” says Warren. “Lots of nutrients get washed down with the flood so the soil is extremely rich. It’s actually a food bowl down here.”

Bleasdale Bremerview Langhorne Creek Shiraz 2021

You might think Christmas has come early when breathing in a nose that offers peppery spices and juicy plum and blackberry, with hints of almonds. The same mix comes in the soft, rounded palate full of generous fruit and vanilla, licorice and spice on the back palate, and soft tannins that define a velvety, gentle texture. 95 points James Halliday, multiple gold medals. 13.5% alc, RRP $$22 a bottle.

SPECIALS $20 in any dozen, $17.99 in our Langhorne Creek dozen.

Lake Breeze Chapel Road Langhorne Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

From first sniff this is classic cab sav at a bargain price, delivering blackcurrant notes mingling with cassis, blackberry and cedar, even hints of tobacco and dark chocolate. The palate is richly and ripely fruited with blackcurrants, blackberry and plum, all of it balanced by grippy tannins and juicy acidity that would sing alongside a mild cheese. 14% alc, RRP $24.99.

SPECIALS $17.99 in any dozen, $17.99 in our Langhorne Creek dozen.

Ponting Close of Play Langhorne Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

Presenting an intriguing level of varietal variation, this cab sav also offers blackberry, blackcurrant, tobacco and cedar but with a more savoury edge that opens up beautifully given time in the glass. The palate is redolent of blackberry pie and custard, and the firm but integrated tannins deliver a good length and a medium to full body. 90 points, The Real Review. 14.5% alc, RRP $25 a bottle.

SPECIALS $23.99 in any dozen, $17.99 in our Langhorne Creek dozen.

Zonte’s Footstep Violet Beauregard Langhorne Creek Malbec 2022

Just like a Roald Dahl novel (from where the name comes), there’s a lot going on but it all makes wonderful sense. The nose is super vibrant with violets and blueberries, a hint of wood smoke and an earthy quality. The palate is dripping in juicy blueberries with a hint of mint and vanilla, while the soft tannins deliver just the right amount of body. 95 points and gold medal, James Halliday Wine Companion. 13.5% alc, RRP $30 a bottle.

SPECIALS $21.99 in any dozen, $17.99 in our Langhorne Creek dozen.

LANGHORNE CREEK DOZEN: Three bottles of each wine above for $17.99 a bottle. SAVE $90.

Order online or phone [phone] Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm AEST. Deals are available only while stocks last. The Australian Wine Club is a commercial partnership with Laithwaites Wine, LIQP770016550.