KANGAROO ISLAND SUMMARY AND REVIEWS TONY LOVE
also considers Semillon as the best white on the island, which he crafts as a single variety style and in a ‘Bordeaux blend’ with Sauvignon Blanc. Joch Bosworth from Springs Road considers the island’s Chardonnay to be a genuine star, while his two traditional red varieties, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz, sit in a style space he describes as ‘between McLaren Vale and the Adelaide Hills’. He notes that there’s a distinctive dried herb character in his reds. The key factor to emphasise is that there is a growing legitimacy to the region as respected producers attract increased attention through improved wine quality, and so add to wine tourism opportunities on the island. Another project, known as Guroo Wines, instigated by Stoke Wines’ proprietor Nick Dugmore, has invited respected winemakers such as Charlotte Hardy (Charlotte Dalton Wines), Stephen George of Ashton Hills fame, and Sue Bell from Bellwether Wines in the Coonawarra to work with Kangaroo Island fruit to highlight its qualities to a wider audience. While small in stature, the wine identity of Kangaroo Island is gathering momentum. Everyone involved there accepts its logistical challenges, while noting the incredible potential for its wines to make a more celebrated mark in the island’s already high- profile reputation.
Kangaroo Island is one of South Australia’s most renowned tourism destinations, well loved domestically and internationally. Its wild Southern Ocean environment is a major attraction, remote, unspoiled and invigorating for the soul. Its food and wine go hand in hand with such a pristine reputation. Kangaroo Island is, surprisingly for many, a recognised wine region – one of 18 official geographical indicators in South Australia alone. The appellation takes in the whole island, which measures 155km east to west and 55km north to south, though just 144 hectares are reported planted to wine grapes, yielding a tiny crush recorded in 2024 by Vinehealth Australia of only 127 tonnes in close to a 2:1 ration of reds to whites. Mind you, only four producers responded to this year’s annual survey, so the figures might not accurately reflect the real amounts. For comparison’s sake, Kangaroo Island is just a small player in the numbers game. McLaren Vale, for instance, had 7383 hectares under vines and crushed more than 28,000 tonnes in 2024. Langhorne Creek 23,000 tonnes from 5777 hectares. Most of the vineyards are situated from the central districts, southwest of the main town Kingscote, through to the eastern Dudley Peninsula. The aforementioned wild ocean surrounding the island is the major influence on the growing conditions across the board, essentially creating a cooling effect and lengthened ripening period that benefits the quality of the fruit. However, significant differences in topography, soil types, weather patterns, and rainfall impact fruit variation and wine styles. Irrigation, if used, depends on surface water dams. There also are specific challenges to the Kangaroo Island appellation, with major threats to grapes of possums and birds – crows and eagles especially – forcing growers into total netting regimes. The logistics of being remote from the mainland is a major cost imposition, though the bigger producers remain committed because they have great faith in the region’s qualities. The maritime climate benefits the Bordeaux varieties such as Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc, the latter championed by The Islander Estate Vineyard’s Yale Norris. He
This mapping data is copyright South Australian Tourism Commis- sion (SATC )and Custom Mapping Services and must not be used without the express permission of the copyright parties.
Emu Bay Fishing Charters
Boxing Bay
Point White
KANGAROO ISLAND
North Cape
KI Marine Adventures Beach Day Emu Bay
Cassini Cape
Fleurieu Peninsula
Cape D'Estaing
Point Marsden
Mt Marsden
Delamere
Smith
Emu Bay
Southern Spencer Gulf Marine Park
Bay
7
5
1
6
Emu Bay Lavender Solstice KI
Encounter Marine Park
Cape Rouge
Stokes Bay Rockpool Café RAD KI
Discovery Lagoon Caravan & Camping
9
7
Bay of Shoals
0
10
B23
3
Dutton Cape
Cape Jervis
2
Busby Islet Conservation Park
Rose Cottage Farm
3
km
Old Wisanger School
Bay of Shoals Wines
3
NORTH
6
3
9
Wisanger Sports Club
Beatrice Islet Conservation Park
3
4
Rettie Bluff
3
King George Beach
8
2
7
Kangaroo Island SeaLink Passenger & Vehicle Ferry (Cape Jervis - Penneshaw)
Lathami Con. Park
Cove River Western
4
1
3
Shep’s Studio
1
Beach Snelling
3
2 3
Kingscote
4
6
RD
5 2 2
7
Kangaroo Island Brewery
2
Island Beehive
2
5
3
3
Fig Tree KI
6 Spring Road Cellar Door The Islander Estate Cellar Door 3
2
Amen Corner
5
Snug Cove
Brownlow
7
RD
Constitution Hill
4
Cape Forbin
2
Kingscote Golf Course
Stokes Bay Hall
2
K.I. Spirits
8
2
Backstairs
Western River
2
5
7
RD
RD
3
7
Racecourse
4 1 2
2
Nepean Bay
Wilderness
4
Penneshaw
Cygnet River
2
Middle River Dam
Cygnet Estuary Conservation Park
Torrens Cape
3
Kangaroo Island Wool
8
Protection
Duck Lagoon
2
7
2
Passage
PIONEER
5
1
4
5
Head Kangaroo
2
Area
3
Cape Torrens Wild. Prot. Area
Western Cove
9
KI Seafront Holiday Park
Morrison Point
9
RD
Scott Cove
8
7
5
1
Nepean Bay Conservation Park
4
Baudin Conservation Park
Cape Borda Lighthouse
Penneshaw Cemetery
4
BRANCH CREEK RD
Encounter Marine Park
Banks Red
3
1
Nepean Bay
2
2
Kangaroo Island Providore
Ironstone Hill
4
Newland Norma Cove Bay
2 4
Dudley Wines Cellar Door
6
5
Lighthouse Keepers Cemetery
1
3
WILLOUGHBY
2
2
4
Charing Cross Corner
Eastern Cove
1
5
8
1
Snapper Point
5
9
2 2
4
3
3
2
7
4 3
3
4
Parndana Con. Park
7
9
7
2 Rob's Shearing and Sheepdogs
39
5
1
4
3
1
1
14
6
4
Birchmore Lagoon
2
Frank Potts Gully
4
7
5
Cape Coutts
Sunset Food and Wine
3
5
STARRS
1
KI Wildlife Park
2
Baudin Beach
6
4 2 2
HUNGERFORD
6
4
American River
28
30
2
Western Kangaroo Island Marine Park
1
3
3
2
5
3
3
2
(American Beach)
4
1
4
Lashmar Conservation Park
6
K.I. Artworks Gallery
5
3
10
1
The Oyster Farm Shop
Gosse
War Service Land Settlement Monument
Emu Ridge Eucalyptus Distillery KI Ciders
1
1
8
Beyeria Conservation Park
3
B23
32
Sapphiretown
2
2
1
6
36
3
Chapman River
Western District Community & Sports Centre
4
Parndana
5
Ravine des Casoars Hike
7
Dudley
Island Beach
2
Roo Lagoon Homestead & Gallery
5
2
4
7
Browns Beach
Antechamber Bay
7
Burgess Lagoon
3
4
8
7
5
30
7
5
Thomas Family Monument
Pelican Lagoon Con. Park
Bay Red House
3
Larrikin Lagoon
1
2
2
2
5
Cape St Albans
3
1
5
5
MOORES
5
5
RD
5
Lashmar Lagoon
3
3
4
Dudley Conservation Park
5
3
2
American River Aquat. Res.
3
2
Cliffords Honey Farm Drunken Drone Brewery
4 4
1
14
Muston
6
12
4
8
9
Moncrieff Bay
Flavours of Petite Provence
3
3
4
1
2
5
Seddon Con. Park
Flinders Chase National Park (Gosselands)
6
3
YMCA Corner
7
4
Ravine des Casoars Wilderness Protection Area
4
3
Pink Bay
6
5
5
Salt Lagoon
ONE
47
White Lagoon
2
7
4
23
7
6
8
1
False Cape Wines
4
Salt Lake
17
4
5
BARRETTS
5
6
Simpson Conservation Park
5
5
2
Cape Willoughby Lighthouse
Pennington Bay
3
3
4
4
5
7
5
Kangaroo Island Living Honey KI Coffee Roasters
Lesueur Con. Park
Vennachar Point
3
Cape Willoughby Con. Park
4
2
3
Mouth Flat Beach
West Bay
3
2
6
3
Peninsula
3
5
CHURCH
1
6
Point Reynolds
7
5
1
Flour Cask Bay
3
4
2
11
2
8
Black Point
3 1
6
1
Curley Ck Hike
6
4
8 7
2
Cape Hart
1
8
3
Bald Hill
6
Platypus Waterholes Walk
Lake Ada
False Cape
11
Murray Lagoon
Timber Creek Walk
RD
3
4
Mount Taylor Con. Park
Bay d'Estrees
11
11
Raptor Domain
2
Rocky River Hike
4
Cape Gantheaume Conservation Park
3
12
13
10
4
2
5
Cape Bedout
3
1
6
1
Rocky River Day Use Area
Flinders Chase Visitor Centre
Kangaroo Island Mini Golf
Little Sahara
9
Cape Gantheaume Conservation Park
Vivonne Bay General Store & Bottle Shop
Snake Lagoon Hike
Mt Mary
KI Bush Getaway
SUNSHINE AVENUE
Karatta
Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary
Mt Bloom eld
12
3
Seal Bay Conservation Park
6
38
Kelly Hill Conservation Park
Point Tinline
5
Kelly Hill Caves
(Harriet River) Vivonne Bay
3
Flinders Chase National Park
3
7
Kangaroo Island Outdoor Action
Wreckers Beach
3
13
Cape Gantheaume Wilderness Protection Area
Stun'sail Boom River
Nobby Is.
Bales Beach
5
Seal Bay Conservation Park
Lake Kitty
Point Ellen
Wheatons Beach
Bunker Hill
Maupertuis Bay
Cape Bouguer Wilderness Protection Area
Vivonne Bay Conservation Park
Yacca Flat
d
Hanson Bay
Cape Linois
Aquatic Reserve
Sanderson Bay
Cape Kersaint
Cape
4
1
Cape Bouguer
Younghusband
Weirs Cove
Remarkable Rocks
1
Admirals Arch
Southern Kangaroo Island Marine Park
Cape du Couedic Lighthouse
Casuarina Islets (The Brothers)
Cape Gantheaume
Information Outlet
Caravan Park
Major Road – Sealed Secondary Road – Sealed
B23
Park Information
Dump Point
Electric Vehicles Charge Point
Accommodation Other Road – Sealed
Boat Ramp ; Beach Launch
Other Road – Unsealed 4.W.D. Only
Lookout Camping Area
Lighthouse
Western Kangaroo Island Marine Park
Flinders Chase National Park
Bush re Last Resort Refuge
M
Cellar Door
80
Walking Trail
Distances In Kilometres
Golf Course
8
Fuel
Intermediate Kilometres
Automated External De brillator
Seal Bay
Public Toilets
Airport
Walking/Hiking Trails
Aug 2024 © Custom Mapping Services
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The Vintage Journal – Regional Focus
South Australia 2024
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