Robe's vines started to flourish in the 1990s. the region now boasts a range of excellent boutique wineries.
Boutique wineries
The Robe wine region is new and exciting. Robe has always been a popular coastal getaway but in the mid 1990s its vines started to flourish. Now the region is making up for lost time and features a range of boutique wineries.
Robe is on South Australia’s Limestone Coast, a region renowned for its unique soil known as terra rossa – an Italian word meaning “red soil”. The soil comes from the clay left behind by weathered limestone, which gives it a red colour. It’s ideal for making wine and can be found in vineyards in La Mancha, Spain, as well as the Limestone Coast, here in South Australia.
Quality over quantity
Robe’s vineyards supply grapes to wineries as renowned as Penfolds. While most grapes leave the region, there are a few local wineries and a couple of cellar doors.
Karatta Wines cellar door and winery is on the Robe-Penola road. It has two vineyards planted on terra rossa soil (red soil made from limestone). Highlights include the 2005 Karatta 'Reserve' Shiraz and a Chardonnay with peach and lemon flavours.
Governor Robe Wines vineyard is located on 141 acres in the heart of the region. The cellar door, in historic Attic House on Robe’s main street, has wine tasting, cheese platters and local art on display.
The Robe wine region sits between inland lakes, alongside the Southern Ocean in the state’s south-east.
Cool climate - premium wine
The cool climate is perfect for producing premium wines that are slightly different to those from regions further inland, like the Coonawarra. The ideal soils and long, gentle growing seasons produce distinctive drops.
Robe’s secret weapon is the high level of acidity in its fruit. It gives the wine a natural freshness that can’t be beaten. The region’s Chardonnay has apple and white peach aromas.
Another local specialty is the region’s Shiraz. It’s full of spice, black pepper and rhubarb.
Robe offers new takes on other famous varieties – punchy and tropical Sauvignon Blancs and Cabernet Sauvignons, with aromas of blackberry, tobacco and mint.
