McLaren Vale is not only an important wine-growing region of Australia, it is also of particular historical value. Here stands the oldest known vineyard on the continent, planted in 1833 by John Reynell, founder of Reynella. The winery's historic cellar, which still exists, is something of a sanctum for Australian viticulture. McLaren Vale borders the metropolis of Adelaide directly to the south and the Adelaide Hills to the east. Situated between the Mount Lofty Ranges in the hinterland and the sea, the region offers excellent conditions for viticulture. Although the region is not particularly high, at about 200 meters above sea level, the climate is rather cool. The nearby sea provides sufficient precipitation, and the sea air cools the vineyards. Frost is only very rarely a problem, but mostly it is cool in the fall during harvest, which greatly benefits the quality of the wines. The very different soils also contribute to this, sometimes consisting of brown loamy sand, sometimes of gray loamy sand with calcareous clay subsoil. This is matched by the unique and enormously impressive collection of cult producers and iconic wines, representative of which are the names d'Arenberg or Clarendon Hills. Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon are in great form here, and Merlot has joined them in recent years.