• Summary
• Downloads
• Explanatory Notes
• Related Information
• Past Releases

The grape growing district of South Australia varies in geographical location, climatic variation and soil condition and can be divided into easily recognisable regions. The area ranges from the Clare-Watervale district in the north to the Coonawarra region in the south-east of the state. Grape production continues to grow; the area of bearing vines has doubled in the period 1997 to 2002.

Data for 2001-02 indicate there were 60,500 hectares of bearing vines in South Australia; a further 6,500 hectares had been planted but were not yet bearing fruit. A total of 697,700 tonnes of grapes were produced and virtually all (99%) were grown for winemaking.

Four varieties of grapes accounted for nearly two thirds of all production: shiraz (183,500 tonnes), cabernet sauvignon (138,900 tonnes), chardonnay (97,000 tonnes) and merlot (39,300 tonnes). Red grape production (454,200 tonnes) exceeded white grape production (243,500 tonnes).

	Vines non-bearing		Vines bearing
	area '000 ha		area '000 ha		Production '000 t
1997(a)	8.3		30.3		374.6
2001	7.2		55.0		675.9
2002	6.5		60.5		697.7

Statistical Division	Vines non-bearing area '000 ha		Vines bearing area '000 ha		Production '000 t
Adelaide	0.8		7.0		57.9
Outer Adelaide	2.1		16.2		124.6
Yorke and Lower North	0.6		4.1		25.2
Murray Lands	1.7		20.7		429.1
South East	1.2		12.3		60.2
Eyre	-		-		0.1
Northern	-		0.1		0.8
South Australia	6.5		60.5		697.7