Around 50km southeast of Adelaide, and just north of Lake Alexandrina, Langhorne Creek is one of the oldest vineyard regions in South Australia. With vines first planted in 1860's, it is predominately a producer of full-bodied reds. Cabernet sauvignon and shiraz do well in the cool climate, and benefit from the unique soils along the riverbanks.
The climate is often cool, with southerly winds coming in from the ocean and blowing straight across Lake Alexandrina. Like most South Australian regions, the heat will kick in when the wind comes down from the north in summer, but there are intermittent and not as constant as they are up north in the Barossa. Soils are deep, sandy loams, regularly flooded in winter by diverting the nearby Bremer River into the vineyards. This all adds up to vigorous vines with generous canopies, and the classic Langhorne Creek style of red – soft and fragrant, very drinkable when young.
History
Named after cattle drover Alfred Langhorne, who brought stock overland to a property known as "Langhorne Station" in the 1840s. The region came to the attention of Frank Potts, who recognised the potential of the soil for viticulture. He first planted vines in 1860, and this area is now heritage listed as the Bleasdale Winery.
