Kilikanoon wines

Kilikanoon is situated in the small town of Penwortham in South Australia’s picturesque Clare Valley. Although the winery is surrounded by beautiful natural scenery, it’s only a 90-minute drive from Adelaide.

Clare Valley is one of South Australia’s oldest and most revered wine regions thanks to its diverse microclimates and rich soils, which range from red-brown ’terra rossa’ over limestone to black alluvial. The valley’s continental climate of warm days and cool nights allows the grapes to ripen slowly and evenly without losing their acidity.

The Kilikanoon estate owns several vineyards across Clare Valley, allowing the winery to grow various grapes, including Shiraz (its flagship grape), Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling and Pinot Gris.

The Kilikanoon brand was founded in 1997 by winemaker Kevin Mitchell, but the vineyard’s history goes back further. Kevin’s father, Mort Mitchell, tended Kilikanoon’s vineyards for over 40 years. Kevin played in the vineyards here as a child, sparking his love of viticulture and the area.

The very first Kilikanoon-branded wines were released the same year the estate opened. These were the Oracle Shiraz, the Blocks Road Cabernet Sauvignon, the Prodigal Grenache and the Mort’s Block Watervale Riesling.

The estate has since grown to include vineyards in Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale, two other premium wine regions.

The Kilikanoon estate strongly embraces the environment in which the grapes grow and their unique characteristics. This allows the vineyards to produce high-quality, stylish wines that offer an authentic taste of the region – they are, as the Kilikanoon philosophy conveys, ‘the ultimate expression of Clare Valley terroir’.

Wine lovers are spoilt for choice when it comes to high-quality wines from this prestigious winery, which offers excellent reds, including powerful and nuanced Shiraz and crisp and aromatic Riesling, as well as Grenache, Mataro and Cabernet wines.

Since its first sale in 1997, the Oracle Shiraz has remained one of the winery’s top sellers and a frequent award winner. Powerful and elegant, this full-bodied and velvety red offers forest berries, baking spices, black olive and dark chocolate notes. Kilikanoon’s Attunga 1865 Shiraz is a premium red wine made from ancient vines. It’s a complex blend of dark plums and liquorice with tarry and toasty spice notes.

Kilikanoon also offers a range of white wines, as the Clare Valley’s conditions are particularly well-suited for growing Riesling and Pinot Gris grapes.

The estate’s Mort’s Block Riesling is another bestseller – clean, acidic and pale yellow, with complex layers of Meyer lemon, lime, white flowers and a hint of warming ginger. It has impressive ageing potential, too. There is also a selection of elegant rosé, sparkling and dessert wines available.

Kilikanoon is a certified member of Sustainable Winegrowing Australia, a national program that promotes environmental sustainability in winemaking.

In the vineyard, Kilikanoon employs several sustainability practices. For example, straw mulch is used under the vines to improve water retention and soil biology, while fungicides are sprayed sparingly using advanced machinery that captures and recycles the overspray. All winery solids are mixed with composted animal manure to create an organic vine fertiliser.

Kilikanoon has collaborated with its neighbours to create specially designated ‘nature and wildlife strips’ throughout the Clare Valley. This allows for the movement of native wildlife and helps to preserve the native flora.

The winery has several water harvesting and recycling processes in place. Rainwater is collected and used during winemaking, while wastewater is recycled and used to irrigate the vineyards. Kilikanoon also uses biodynamic and compostable shrink wrap to reduce plastic usage for freight.

The winery is not open to the public, but the Kilikanoon cellar door is. Visitors can enjoy a variety of wine tastings, including personalised tastings for large groups and more casual, guided tastings.

The premium Revelation Experience involves tasting Kilikanoon’s Revelation wine, which is partnered with five expertly selected wines from the cellar collection.

Various events are held throughout the year, including wine dinners. The cellar door is also available for private bookings.