Langhorne Creek Malbec: the region, the grape and what to eat with it.
Wine Regions
Langhorne Creek Malbec is one of South Australia’s quieter specialties. The region sits just over an hour’s drive from Adelaide, and on Sunday 11 October one of its Malbec makers, Gaston Bravo, is pouring his wines at Bar Septimus on Grenfell Street.
Where Langhorne Creek Is
Langhorne Creek lies south-east of Adelaide, near the shores of Lake Alexandrina. Wine Australia lists 6,059 hectares of vineyard across the GI.
Lake, wind and flood
The defining influence is the lake. Southerly winds blow off the Southern Ocean and across Lake Alexandrina, which Wine Australia says reduces daytime temperature swings. Growing season rainfall is about 169mm, so every vineyard is irrigated. The traditional method is unusual: growers divert the Bremer River and flood the land in late winter.
Soils
The soils are deep alluvial sandy loams, red-brown to dark grey, with patches of black self-mulching clay. They grow vigorous vines and generous crops.
A Short History of Langhorne Creek Malbec
Frank Potts bought land at Langhorne’s Crossing in 1850 and founded Bleasdale. According to InDaily, Malbec is thought to have been planted there in the 1860s. By the 1890s it shows up in harvest records, mostly destined for fortified wines.
The shift to table wine came much later. Bleasdale made its first varietal red Malbec in 1961, and the wine built a following among customers who waited for each year’s allocation. In 2021 InDaily reported that no other Australian district gives Malbec its own dedicated show class.
What Langhorne Creek Malbec Tastes Like
Expect deep colour with a blue edge, violet aromas and mulberry to boysenberry fruit. The lake breeze and cooler nights slow ripening, which helps the grape hold its aromatics. Tannins are fine rather than hard.
Malbec also works as a blending partner here. The region is known for Cabernet, Shiraz and Malbec blends, where Malbec adds colour and perfume to the structure of Cabernet. If you liked our guide to Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon, these blends are a useful comparison.
What to eat with it
Malbec suits cured meat and firm, aged cheese. At Septimus that means the charcuterie and a mature cheese board from the menu.
Gaston Bravo at Bar Septimus, Sunday 11 October
Gaston Bravo grew up in Mendoza, Argentina’s Malbec heartland. He spent a decade making wine for a French house in Argentina and France, and worked vintages in Napa and Ningxia before settling in South Australia. He has made small-batch wines under his own label since 2017.
He will pour these wines himself, by the glass or bottle:
- Rosé Malbec 2024, Langhorne Creek
- Paloma Rosé Malbec 2026, Langhorne Creek (limited release)
- Monino Malbec 2024, Langhorne Creek
- Gratitude Shiraz 2024, Barossa Valley
- Two Homes Shiraz Malbec 2024, Barossa Valley and Langhorne Creek
Some of these are made in very small quantities and rarely reach retail shelves. It is a good chance to taste Mendoza training applied to South Australian fruit.
The details
Sunday 11 October 2026, 2pm to 6pm. Free entry, walk in, with an optional RSVP on the event page. Bar Septimus is at 220 Grenfell Street in Adelaide’s East End and is open Sundays from 12pm to 9pm. For what else is on this month, see our events.
Sources
- Wine Australia: Langhorne Creek
- InDaily: Malbec magic in Langhorne Creek
- Bleasdale Vineyards history timeline
- Fleurieu Peninsula Tourism: Langhorne Creek wine region
Come and taste it
Bar Septimus pours French and Australian wine by the glass alongside artisan cheese and charcuterie at 220 Grenfell Street, Adelaide East End.
Langhorne Creek Malbec: the short version
It is a quiet specialty worth seeking out, and it sits well beside aged hard cheese and charcuterie. Ask at the bar what is open, or see the menu.