Chain of Ponds Wines is Australia’s most highly awarded boutique winery

"Latest News December 2007 - The Vineyard Balcony Restaurant is now open again for lunch at the weekend"

The business was established in 1985 when a small pilot block was planted at Gumeracha to test the suitability of different grape varieties in the then newly emerging cool climate Adelaide Hills wine region. The vines planted included Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc both of which have become signature wines of the Adelaide Hills, and a number of traditional Italian varieties including Pinot Grigio, Barbera, Sangiovese and Nebbiolo all of which were demonstrated to be ideally suited to the Adelaide Hills.

The winery takes its name from the township of Chain of Ponds which was established in 1864, on the banks of the River Torrens in the hills above Adelaide. The little town thrived until the 1970’s when it was razed to expand the adjacent Millbrook reservoir which now provides much of Adelaide’s water supply.

Winemaker (back to top)

Chain of Ponds wines are made by the renowned winemaker Neville Falkenberg.

Neville has worked for Chain of Ponds for the last five years, but his love of wine started to emerge when as a young man he worked in his parents’ vineyards. His natural winemaking talent and ability has evolved over a career that spans 31 Vintages, making wine for many well-known Australian labels including senior winemaking roles at Tollana and at Penfolds. During his time at Penfolds he was responsible for the development of “Yattarna” often described as “the White Grange”.

He has received many industry accolades including being awarded the inaugural “Barossa Winemaker of the Year” in 1998.
Neville has a genuinely creative approach to the complex art of fine winemaking ideally suited to the boutique nature of Chain of Ponds winemaking.

Philosophy (back to top)

We source the best fruit from the best vineyards in the Adelaide Hills and take care and pride in making the quality wines with a difference. We continue to make traditional varietal wines such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon but we also use Nevilles winemaking expertise to produce some fabulous and not so well know varieties such as a Sangiovese, Nebbiolo and Pinot Grigio.

Region/Climate/Soil (back to top)

The Region
The Adelaide Hills is arguably Australia's most vibrant premier cool climate wine region and is well known around the world for its distinctive premium wines, viticulture and stunning scenery.

It is located in the Mount Lofty Ranges just east of Adelaide, stretching in a narrow band some 70km long. The boundaries of the Adelaide Hills are registered with the Geographic Indications Committee with the highest vineyards sited at close to 600 metres altitude in areas such as Summertown, Piccadilly and Carey Gully.

Just a 20-minute drive from Adelaide can transport you to the Adelaide Hills Wine Region, offering the rare combination of proximity to a capital city with the feel of being a world away.

The Climate
Regardless of the diversity of the region the climate can be generally described as a high rainfall region in comparison to other Australian wine regions, however this rainfall is mainly during the winter months. The summer months are generally warm and dry compared to winter, however the average temperatures are considerably cooler than regions outside of the Adelaide Hills.

The Soil
The geography and climate of the AHWR has contributed to soils that are highly variable in structure and chemistry. However in general terms they can be described as a mixture of sandy loams, loams and clay loams over clay subsoils that vary in structure, although it is not unusual to find these soils combined with shale and ironstone. They are generally acidic and in some cases neutral in pH, but rarely alkaline.

Opening Hours (back to top)

Chain of Ponds Wines is open seven days a week for wine tasting. Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 4.30pm and on Weekends and most Public Holidays from 10.00am to 4.30pm.