A part of the Limestone Coast region, Padthaway is about a half-days drive southeast from Adelaide, just a tick from the Victorian border. Chardonnay thrives here, with notable production of pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon and shiraz adding to the total annual crush.
History
The area sits on terra rosa soil, with good drainage into a limestone base. Quite swampy in spots (it was nicknamed "Mosquito Plains" in the mid-1800s), the area has good bore water supply, which led to the CSIRO recommending the area for horticultural development in 1944 (it was primarily a livestock farming area back then). But with the Australian wine industry in a ditch in the 40's, decades passed before vines were planted by Seppelts in 1964.
Close enough to the coast to benefit from southerlies coming off the ocean, Padthaway is further north than cousin Coonawarra, and does run a bit hotter being down on the plains. Big producers have vineyards here, such as Hardys, Blass, and Orlando Wyndham to name a few. Smaller producers such as Browns of Padthaway, Jip Jip Rocks and Henry's Drive are in the mix, and do fantastic job producing wines that reflect the natural varietal flavours of the region.
