Situated in the foothills of the Southern Mount Lofty Ranges and bound to the west by the pristine waters of the Gulf St Vincent, Battle of Bosworth is in the heart of the McLaren Vale wine region.
The region is approximately 37k south of Adelaide, the capital of South Australia. McLaren Vale is almost unique in being situated so close to the sea (and some of the finest beaches in Australia) and a significant sized population centre. McLaren Vale is the home of the small winemaker, as well as approximately 300 independent grape growers who tend some 5,000 hectares (12,000 acres) of vines.
McLaren Vale was one of the earliest regions to be planted to vines in South Australia, with first recorded plantings in 1838 by John Reynell in Reynella, to the south of Adelaide.
For more information about McLaren Vale; its wineries, accommodation, places to eat etc please visit http://www.mclarenvale.info
McLaren Vale Climate
With a Mediterranean-type climate characterised by warm summers and moderate winters tempered by the proximity to the ocean, winter dominant rainfall, low relative humidity and high relative evaporation, McLaren Vale’s benign climate is ideal for organic viticulture. Rain during vintage and frost in winter or spring are both rare.
Annual average rainfall for our vineyards is approximately 660 mm, of which only about 180 mm falls within the growing season. Harvest dates for Battle of Bosworth wines are usually from mid February to late April.
McLaren Vale’s vineyards benefit from cooling breezes which come off the ocean during the afternoon that help moderate summer temperatures. Our foothills location also enables the vineyards to benefit from the strong ‘Gully’ winds that come down from the hills in the late afternoon/ early evenings during the summer months. McLaren Vale is rightly considered one of the safest and most consistent premium grape growing regions in the country.
McLaren Vale Wine Region as a Geographical Indication
Australia is not bound by the same appellation rules as the ‘old’ world, but McLaren Vale is officially recognized and defined as an Australian wine region by the Geographic Indications Committee (GIC), which is a statutory committee of the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation. (For more information visit http://www.awbc.com.au )
Geographic Indication (GI) officially establishes the boundary of a region, enabling wineries within the boundary to accurately state their location, and market themselves under their regional banner. This has been important for McLaren Vale in marketing itself within the domestic market, and overseas.
Geographical Indication was applied for in 1995, and received in 1997. The McLaren Vale wine region is bounded in the south by the Sellicks Hill range (a continuation of the Mount Lofty Ranges ) extends to the eastern side of Clarendon (now a sub region of McLaren Vale), then north to Reynella and bound to the west by the Gulf St Vincent.