LANGHORNE CREEK
LISA CARDELLI
Often described as the “workhorse” or “blending bowl” of major South Australian wine brands, Langhorne Creek has nevertheless been quietly achieving a great deal over the years. Blessed with a sequence of favourable natural conditions, from a maritime climate moderated by Lake Alexandrina’s cooling influence, to fertile floodplain soils fed by the Bremer and Angas rivers, and a long, dry growing season that keeps disease pressure at bay, it’s no wonder Frank Potts, founder of Bleasdale Vineyards, chose to plant roots here in the mid-1800s. There’s a remarkable level of consistency achieved year after year in the region, with the 2025 vintage described as “one of our best in the last few years,” says Mark Gilbert, winemaker and co-owner of Karrawatta. He’s echoed by Tom Keelan, viticulturist and winemaker at Pawn Wine Co., for whom last year was “crazy good. We had the shortest vintage ever, with above-average yields and superb grape quality. The whites retained purity and lift, and the reds showed definition, rather than density.” In 2025, the region experienced warmer days and long, uninterrupted ripening periods, allowing Mediterranean varieties to thrive in the warm weather they love. Fruit developed excellent flavour and colour, while retaining the refreshing acidity that has become the region’s hallmark. According to Wine Australia, Langhorne Creek’s crush for 2025 was 36% higher than in 2024, ranking it just behind the Adelaide Hills among the largest cool-to-temperate regions of Australia. Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec remain the undisputed kings of the area in terms of quality, with a recent stylistic shift toward brighter fruit expression, softer structures, and approachability in their youth, notes Nicole Clark, director of Kimbolton Wines. Keelan believes producers should continue to focus on globally recognised varieties. “Someone once said, ‘It’s easy being the world champion of a sport that no one else in the world plays’, and I think we have that problem with Shiraz. But with Cabernet, we can genuinely go toe-to-toe with producers around the world.” With the arrival of new clones and improved canopy management in recent years, Cabernet is now on track to rival other major players, such as Coonawarra, in longevity, even if Langhorne Creek examples tend to show softer tannins and riper fruit profiles. As Clark notes, “I’ve been drinking many Langhorne Creek Cabernets
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The Vintage Journal
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