Scotts Creek Vineyard

Morgan – Riverland – Lower Murray Zone - South Australia

Scotts Creek Vineyard has had a close association with the wine industry of the region for over 40 years. The Scotts Creek property is adjacent to the River Murray, just 7km downstream from the South Australian historical township of Morgan on the Morgan to Blanchetown Road.

In 1974 Penfolds Wines purchased 1800 hectares of land adjacent to the River Murray. By 1977, 510 hectares of cliff top country had been planted to 10 wine grape varieties and was named Lesley Herbert Estate. Today vineyards cover 372 hectares. Penfolds chose the Morgan area for several reasons: the availability of a water diversion licence, land and the proximity to the Nuriootpa Cellars where all fruit was processed. The land is a mosaic of soil types, ranging from deep sands to very shallow sandy loams over limestone with some outcrops of Blanchetown Clay. The area overlooking the wetlands was selected for its stony soils over a limestone base, to produce grape varieties of immense character and resilience – Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay are the main varieties along with Semillon, Colombard, Riesling, Gordo and Gewurtztraminer. The longer periods of sunshine and warm dry climate deliver a consistent high quality of fruit.

Terry's wife Elise is committed to caring for the environment and been instrumental in preserving one of the River Murray's largest wetlands, Scotts Creek, adjacent to the vineyards at Morgan. With great passion she works to return the 870 hectares of wetlands to its natural state. Already signs are very encouraging with the regeneration of vegetation to help achieve a healthy environment, the animals like the endangered Growling Grass Frog and Regent Parrot thriving in their natural habitat.

A close neighbour to the wetlands is 400 hectares of Heritage Scrub, a protected area with a different ecosystem of flora and fauna, providing a home for animals like wombats, kangaroos and emus.

Riverland harvest times – Early February to late April