An overview of Angas Plains Estate Wines

In the year 1994, Angas Plains Estate Wines was established on 100 acre Langhorne Creek land. It is owned by Phillip and Judy Cross who manage its operations on daily basis. Since its establishment, they have planted a block each year from 1994 to 2001, 25.5 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon and 2 acres of Chardonnay. They have some vacant land on the edge of the Angas River where they will plant a new variety in the near future.

It seems Philip purchased the land into a community owned private pipeline which proved quite fruitful as it changed a dry land into a healthy vineyard which today we all know as Angas Plains Estate wines.  He understood the shortage of water and developed a vineyard that requires minimum irrigation. Cover crops are also planted between the vines to enrich the soil.

Langhorne Creek

This historical region of winemaking takes less than an hour’s drive from Adelaide. It’s renowned for the flat, river delta landscape and has a history of viticulture dating back to 1860. Traditionally, the region is a red wine grape known for its full-bodied Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon but thanks to its cool climate exceptional white wines are also produced.

The Winemaking Process

The wines from Angas Plains Estate wines are usually made in small batches (10 tonnes) and they ferment red wines in open-top vessels for a period of 8 days. To offer the best quality to their consumers, they replace 25 – 33% of their oak barrels each year and use these new barrels from the range for their Emily Cross Shiraz, Quintessential,  Reserve Shiraz and Special Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. To obtain the optimal result in the bottle, their PJs Cabernet Sauvignon and PJs Shiraz are left in the oak barrels for a period of 12 months under the careful watch of their winemaker Peter Douglas along with the owners.

The owners of this vineyard make sure you get to taste their premium wines. They not only transformed a dry land into a vineyard but are really passionate about their wines. They have a cellar door where you get to taste and select from a very wide range of wines. You will find your stay comfortable as they have great accommodation facility and delicious rustic food made with local produce. They have a daily special board where you get to know the specials for every week. Also, they have a very elaborate menu in case you are planning a workshop or a wedding, inviting 30 – 60 people. They entertain them all!