NA ="Langhorne Creek,";
FE1[0]=" Langhorne Creek Region, within the Fleurieu Zone is just south of Adelaide. Lake Alexandria marks its southern edge and the vineyards extend 40 km north to the township of Langhorne Creek. The region features Lake Alexandria, Aust";
FE2[0]="ralia's largest permanent freshwater lake and a natural flood plain, the soil of which is fine, fertile and deep, having been deposited by the Bremer and Angus rivers over aeons, thus making it a very good region for horticultural";
FE3[0]=" production in general. In the past decade vineyard plantings have increased significantly on ground above the flood plain. These vineyards use drip and sub-surface irrigation, playing a major role in the region's water and enviro";
FE4[0]="nmental management system. The vineyards within the flood plain continue to utilise natural floodwaters through a controlled system of flood gates. These waters are an important source of nutrients.  The climate is characterised b";
FE5[0]="y low winter-dominant rainfall and, due to the cooling breezes from the lake, moderate daytime temperatures during the growing season. This feature gives Langhorne Creek recognition as an ideal viticultural area. The boutique wine";
FE6[0]="ries in the region are also putting Langhorne Creek on the international wine map. Casa Freshci with its premimum red blends, Cabernet Sauvignon from Bremerton, and Shiraz from Lake Breeze and Brothers in Arms. They are just four ";
FE7[0]="of the stars from a growing constellation that includes Raydon Estate, Oddfellows, Angas Plains, Cleggett and the organic wine producer Temple Bruer.  Key grape varieties include Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot, Chardonnay and ";
FE8[0]="Verdelho. In recent years, Sangiovese and Grenache have strongly featured in the region's wines Langhorne Creek is also the home of a rare mutation of Cabernet Sauvignon. Cleggett Wines has planted a few hectares of the white grap";
FE9[0]="e (Shalistin) and bronze grape (Malian). These are rare sports (vines), which make the novelty white and light red styles of Cabernet Sauvignon.";
LA1[0]=" Langhorne Creek is a premium wine-growing region located approximately 70km south-east of Adelaide in the Fleurieu Peninsula. The region is characterised by predominantly flat, alluvial land with two rivers (the Bremer and Angas) ";
LA2[0]="that have carved their way through the plains from the Mt. Lofty Ranges in the north to the large fresh water Lake Alexandrina, in the south. The soils on either side of the rivers are generally fertile silts due to the annual flo";
LA3[0]="ods that occur. Vines were planted here as early as 1858. The last decade has seen a proliferation of vineyards planted on land off the flood plain, on soils that range from lighter sandy loam predominantly, to clay/limestone. Thi";
LA4[0]="s premium region is now one of Australia's largest with plantings that have surpassed 5000 hectares. The flat river delta landscape is ideally suited for large scale, relatively low cost vineyard developments, with a high degree o";
LA5[0]="f mechanisation commonplace. These are predominantly deep alluvial sandy loams varying from red-brown to dark grey, with patches of black, self-mulching clays. All promote vine vigour and generous canopies and cropping levels. The";
LA6[0]=" original vineyards adjacent to the Bremer River experience natural floods from rain that falls in the Adelaide Hills. The soils are deep alluvial sandy loams, which receive a deposit of silt and nutrients with each flood. Langhor";
LA7[0]="ne Creek has historically been an excellent grape source for many of South Australia's premium wines. Along with a small number of well-established local wineries that consistently produce ripe, excellent value wines, new producer";
LA8[0]="s are emerging, adding to the diversity of the region. The stage is set for an exciting future.";
LA9[0]="";
CL1[0]=" The growing season climate is predominantly shaped by the on-shore southerly winds blowing directly from the Southern Ocean across Lake Alexandrina. While intermittently broken by periods of the very hot weather associated with no";
CL2[0]="rtherly winds emanating from central Australia, the prevailing southerlies normally reduce daytime temperature fluctuations. These southerlies also decrease sunshine hours and overall summer temperatures while increasing the relat";
CL3[0]="ive humidity. The winter-spring rainfall pattern persists. Irrigation is universally practised and in part, by the unique method of diverting the Bremer River and deliberately flooding the land in late winter. Newer vineyards also";
CL4[0]=" use, in the main, conventional drip irrigation. The average rainfall in area is low (less than 400mm) meaning irrigation is necessary and is in fact the source for this regions reputation. With a vineyard heritage dating back the";
CL5[0]=" 1860's it is thought that Langhorne Creek is the home to one of Australia's first irrigation schemes. When original grape growers in the region used the seasonal flow of the Bremer and Angus rivers to flood their vineyards during";
CL6[0]=" winter. Although the systems and control has improved, it is still used in some parts of Langhorne Creek today. Statistics: Heat degree days: 1520; Sunshine hours per day: 8.3; Annual rainfall: 410 mm; Growing season rainfall: 14";
CL7[0]="0 mm; Mean January temperature: 19.9°C; Harvest: Early March-late April";
CL8[0]="";
CL9[0]="";
HI1[0]=" Viticulture in the Langhorne Creek Region dates from the 1850s when Frank Potts established Bleasdale, the region's only winery to stay in continuous production. Frank Potts acquired 130 hectares of land in 1850, reputedly attract";
HI2[0]="ed by the fertile soils and vast red gums. Ten years later he planted a little over 12 hectares of shiraz and Verdelho on either side of the Bremer River, constructing his unique weir and channel system by which he was able to div";
HI3[0]="ert the Bremer River during winter, flood irrigating (to a depth of several feet) the vineyard and providing the subsoil with sufficient moisture to last through the entire growing season. Five generations later the Potts family s";
HI4[0]="till preside over Bleasdale, but Langhorne Creek is a different place these days. The enduring link with the past is the Stonyfell Vineyard, established in 1890 by Arthur Formby, but which soon passed into the ownership of Ronald ";
HI5[0]="Martin of Stonyfell, and hence into that of Saltram. The individually numbered and strikingly labelled bottles of Stonyfell Metala Cabernet Shiraz remain one of the most immediately recognisable of all Australian wine labels. Wolf";
HI6[0]=" Blass and Lindemans rejuvenated the region again and over the past ten years a number of big players have established vineyards there. Wolf Blass discovered the merits of Langhorne Creek early in the piece; not only did it play a";
HI7[0]=" major role in the building of his large personal empire, but also gave rise to his famous observation that only a fool would bother investing in Coonawarra - an area which, in his view, could not produce decent wine. Orlando Wynd";
HI8[0]="ham, which in the mid-1990s invested $15 million in a purpose-designed state-of-the-art vineyard planted specifically to meet the needs of its world brand Jacobs Creek. While the major wineries and highly efficient broad acre farm";
HI9[0]="ing of vines remain the driving force of Langhorne Creek, the quality of the wines coming from its small resident wineries leaves no doubt this region is well capable of producing premium-quality wines.";