Like neighbours Coonawarra and Padthaway, Wrattonbully is a cool-climate region with superb terra-rossa soil. If complex, elegant wine is what you're after, you'll find some stellar examples from here.
History
The first vines for winegrapes were planted in the late 1960s; however it was in the 1990s that the excellent soils and elevated sites attracted many winemakers from surrounding areas. The region now draws winemakers and the attention of wine connoisseurs from around the world. Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz are the two main varieties grown, and Wrattonbully wines of these varieties are highly regarded for their complexity and elegance. Merlot and Chardonnay are also widely grown with great success - in fact the cool climate of the Wrattonbully wine region is proving suitable for many varieties.
The Wrattonbully wine region lies over several ranges in the area surrounding Naracoorte, including the Naracoorte Range (also known as the Kanawinka escarpment – the original coastline of the continent of Gondwanaland). Wrattonbully is a region of ancient World Heritage-listed geology, which in more recent times has been chosen to establish a successful wine region due to its outstanding viticultural attributes.