Generalising about South Australian wine just can't be done. The state has a bigger surface area than France and Italy combined, so assuming that all their output is hot-climate Shiraz and oaky Chardonnay is inevitably mistaken.
In fact, Shiraz seemed decidedly less important to the producers I encountered on this visit – although in 2016 48% of the red-wine crush was Shiraz, and the most expensive fruit was that variety from McLaren Vale and Barossa. Perhaps this is because Shiraz has become over-familiar, whereas other varieties offer more scope for experimentation and novelty. I tasted almost as much Grenache as...