By Discover the Riverland · · 4 min read
Long dismissed as bulk-wine country, the Riverland is now home to organic pioneers and small-batch makers worth a detour.
The Riverland grows roughly a quarter of all the wine made in Australia. For decades that statistic worked against it - this was cask country, the engine room, rarely a destination. That story is changing fast.
Drive between the towns and you’ll still see the vast irrigated blocks that supply the national brands. But tucked among them is a new generation of growers making wine on their own terms, and the cellar doors are where you taste the difference.
The new wave
At 919 Wines near Glossop, the family farms certified-organic and biodynamic, coaxing real character from unusual varieties and turning out fortifieds that age beautifully. Whistling Kite near Barmera takes a similarly light-touch, organic approach. These are small operations where the person pouring your glass usually grew the grapes.
Then there are the bigger names. Angove Family Winemakers in Renmark, five generations deep, pours organic and single-vineyard wines alongside its famous St Agnes brandy. And for a drink right on the water, Wilkadene Woolshed Brewery at Murtho serves craft beer from a century-old shearing shed while boats moor on the bank.
Why it’s worth it
Riverland wine offers something increasingly rare: genuine value, made by people who live on the land. The warm climate suits robust reds and bright, generous whites, and prices reflect a region still finding its confidence as a destination.
Come with an open mind and a designated driver. The Riverland won’t pretend to be a manicured wine country - and that honesty is exactly the charm.
