Adelaide Hills Wines: Cool Climate Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Crisp Sauvignon Blanc

Lenswood or Piccadilly Valley?

The Adelaide Hills have two official subregions. Lenswood, in the north among apple and cherry orchards, is known for Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc with great intensity.

Piccadilly Valley, near Mount Lofty, is among the coolest and highest parts of the region. Its Chardonnay is tight and mineral, and its grapes form the base of some of Australia's finest sparkling wines. Look for it on bottles such as the Ashton Hills Piccadilly Valley Chardonnay.

Adelaide Hills Chardonnay and Pinot Noir

Adelaide Hills Chardonnay is fine and focused, with white peach, citrus and a subtle nutty edge. It sits comfortably beside the country's most celebrated examples. Compare it with other regions in our Chardonnay collection.

Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir shows red cherry, raspberry and gentle spice, with silky texture and fresh acidity. Explore more cool climate reds in our Pinot Noir range.

Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris and Sparkling

Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc is one of Australia's favourite whites, with passionfruit, citrus and a crisp, dry finish, and Shaw + Smith Sauvignon Blanc is its most famous example. Some producers make a textured, barrel aged Fumé Blanc style.

Adelaide Hills Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio are just as popular, from crisp and light to rich and spicy.

Cool temperatures also make Adelaide Hills sparkling wine some of Australia's finest, made in the traditional method. Try Croser from the Piccadilly Valley or the vintage and rosé cuvées from Deviation Road, or browse our Australian sparkling wine.

Grüner Veltliner, Italian Grapes and New Wave Wines

The Adelaide Hills love to experiment. Hahndorf Hill is a pioneer of Australian Grüner Veltliner, First Drop makes Arneis and Jericho makes Fiano and Tempranillo. Sangiovese, Barbera and Nebbiolo from producers such as Cooke Brothers complete the Italian picture.

The region is also a hub for new wave and natural winemaking, with small labels such as Gentle Folk, Golden Child and XO Wine Co.

Warmer, lower sites produce Adelaide Hills Shiraz and Merlot, and Adelaide Hills Cabernet Sauvignon, or Cab Sav, from producers such as C.J. Wicks. For warm days, try a dry Adelaide Hills rosé or a racy Adelaide Hills Riesling.

Adelaide Hills Wine Brands in Our Range

Chain of Ponds and Paracombe are our largest Adelaide Hills producers, joined by Petaluma, Shaw & Smith, Ashton Hills, Hahndorf Hill and Deviation Road. Penfolds sources Adelaide Hills fruit for its Reserve Bin A and Max's Chardonnay.

Serving and Food Pairing

Serve Sauvignon Blanc and sparkling well chilled at 6 to 8 degrees, Chardonnay at 10 to 12 degrees and Pinot Noir at 14 to 16 degrees. Sauvignon Blanc loves goat's cheese and salads, Chardonnay suits roast chicken, and Pinot Noir is lovely with duck or mushrooms.

What Is the Adelaide Hills Known For? Your Questions, Answered

What wine is the Adelaide Hills known for?

Above all for Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, plus excellent sparkling wine. In recent years Pinot Gris, Grüner Veltliner and Italian varieties such as Fiano and Arneis have become regional favourites too.

Is Penfolds in the Adelaide Hills?

Penfolds is based in the Barossa Valley, but it sources grapes from the Adelaide Hills for some of its most admired white wines, including Reserve Bin A Chardonnay.

How is the Adelaide Hills different from the Barossa and McLaren Vale?

The Adelaide Hills are higher and cooler, so the wines are lighter and fresher. The warmer Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale are better known for rich, full bodied reds such as Shiraz and Grenache.

Why Buy Adelaide Hills Wine at YourWines?

From a crisp Sauvignon Blanc for a summer lunch to a Piccadilly Valley Chardonnay for a special dinner, you can buy Adelaide Hills wine online for every occasion and budget.

Every wine is chosen by our team, available by the dozen or as a six-pack, and shipping is free Australia wide with a surcharge for WA, TAS and remote areas.