Adelina is a small estate in the Springfarm subregion of Clare Valley. A formidable grape-growing region north of Adelaide in the South of Australia, famed for Boutique wineries making world-class Riesling and Shiraz. Higher in altitude compared to other areas of Australia, it has warm summer days and cool nights, which creates an extended ripening period making for wines with characteristically crisp acidity and precise structure.
Colin and Jennie, the partnership behind the wines, founded the estate in 2002, after taking over the property and vineyards from Jennie's father. Both bringing to the table some serious winemaking know-how, with PhDs in Oenology, and ample experience working in wineries across the globe (Australia, New Zealand, Italy, and America), a strong foundation for this exciting young winery. Already planted with some very old vines, but previously the grapes would go into making wine for friends and family, they made it their mission to transform the property into a commercial operation, with the goal of making quality focussed wines indicative of their terroir.
Adelina boasts a mix of well-established 85+ year old Shiraz and Grenache, a smattering of Pedro Ximenes, along with more recent plantings of Shiraz, Mataro, and Malbec. In addition to this, they work with a select few small growers in iconic areas such as Watervale for Riesling and McLaren Vale for Shiraz. All the estate vines are cultivated organically and a few of their growers are too.
Honesty and integrity at their core, and thoughtfulness and understanding when it comes to environmental responsibility. They work strictly off solar power outside of vintage and rely on rainwater and a small bore for all their water resources. The winery is a no-frills operation, as Col puts it “the most elaborate piece of equipment would be the coffee machine”. No mod-cons or complex machinery, simply making the best wine they possibly can from each individual site.
Simple it may sound but these wines are quite the opposite. Full of character, impeccably made, with delicacy and finesse inherent throughout their range. Adelina’s labels too are quite stunning and the perfect complement to the beautiful wines within.