Tag: South Australia

Visiting the Barossa Valley

The Barossa Valley is a fairly straightforward 70 minute drive from the city of Adelaide. Its close proximity makes a day trip possible if you are visiting the city but don’t have the time for an extended trip out to wine country. A number of small towns and villages make up the region of which Nuriootpa (many of the locals just refer to it as Nuri), Tanunda and Angaston make a reasonable base for tours around the many cellar doors. There are many accommodation options to suit all preferences and budgets but is is always best to book ahead as the area can get busy, especially at weekends and public holidays. We stayed at the Novotel Resort at Rowland Flat just a few kilometres from Tanunda. The same principle applies to cellar door visits, it is much quieter during the week than at weekends.

SOME BAROSSA VALLEY WINE FACTS

  • First vineyard plantings date back to 1843 making it one of the oldest wine regions in Australia. Much of the early planting was done by German settlers.
  • The Barossa is Phylloxera free which means that it has many old vines, some over one hundred years old.
  • There are around 13500 hectares of vines in the Barossa
  • 80% on all plantings are red wine varieties
  • 50% of all planting is Shiraz making it the dominant grape of the Barossa
  • There are around 150 wineries and 80+ cellar doors in the region.

With so many cellar doors to visit a plan is essential. There are several large, well known producers in the area; Wolf Blass, Penfolds, Yalumba, Peter Lehmann and Jacobs Creek for example. All are open to visitors for tasting and in some cases tours. A visit to the region however also affords the opportunity to try wines from growers with whom you may not be as familiar. Maps and lots of useful information are available here and here . Suggested routes are also available on Barossa Wine Trails

Getting around is obviously much easier if you have a car as some of the wineries such as Henschke and Thorn Clarke are a way out from the main towns but are well worth a visit. Driving of course means that someone has to be the designated driver. It is possible to join an organised tour and taxis are another possibility. Bike hire is available and we used Barossa Bike Hire in Nuriootpa for one day of our visit. This gives easy access to the 13Km cycle track from Nuriootpa to Angaston. From this you can head out to the cellar doors by means of the small roads that bisect the track at regular intervals

Exactly where to go will depend on your own preferences. Below is our itinerary for a two day visit to the area.

Day 1 

Thorn Clarke – Gawler Park Road. Visit their website here

Gibson Wines – 190 Willows Road, Light Pass. Nice ride on quiet roads to the winery. Visit their website here

Willows Estate – 310 Light Pass Road. Visit their website here

Day 2

Barossa Farmers Market – Angaston Road. Saturday only 7.30-11.30. Visit their website here for further details.

Henschke – 1428 Keyneton Road. A fair drive out of Angaston but well worth it. Visit their website here. You can read a post of our visit here

 

Artisans of Barossa – Cnr Magnolia and Light Pass. Six great, small production winemakers together under one roofVisit their website here. You can read a post of our visit here

Rockford Wines – 131 Krondorf Road. Visit their website here

 Charles Melton Wines – 194 Krondorf Road. Visit their website here. You can read a post of our visit here

 

Charles Melton

 

Charlie Melton has been making his own label wines in the Barossa since 1984 and now owns 20 hectares of vines. He began his wine making career ten years earlier and worked for Peter Lehmann who actually decided he should be called Charlie instead of his given name Graeme. His passion is for old vine wines and traditional varieties such as Shiraz, Grenache and Mourvedre (Mataro) and this comes through loud and clear in the wines he produces.

Rose of Virginia 2015

This is serious rosé wine. A great colour, deeper than many rosé wines, with aromas of raspberry, cinnamon and Turkish delight. The palate is dry, red and stone fruits. This aged style of rosé is characterful and very nice. Made mainly from Grenache it is a robust wine and excellent value for money.

La Belle Mere GSM 2015

Red/garnet in appearance. There is earthy spice and delicate red fruits. Wine is medium bodied and the finish is savoury and long. very nice entry level wine.

Father in Law Shiraz  2016

Youthful purple/red in appearance. Aromas of plum, strawberry and sweet tobacco. Smooth and full bodied with a generous kick of spicy pepper. Drink it now or keep, your choice.

Kirche Shiraz/Cabernet 2016

Generous black fruits with coffee and vanilla. Palate is full with rich fruit and cool eucalyptus and tobacco. Tannins add structure. A wine with real ageing potential.

Grains of Paradise Shiraz 2014

February rain led to a lighter vintage, as a consequence less oak was used in the vinification. Garnet in appearance. Aromas of red fruits and plum. Palate is savoury black and red fruit with hints of spice and a nice savoury finish.

Grains of Paradise Shiraz 2015

Great depth of colour – red/garnet. Ripe plummy fruit, white pepper and a savoury edge. Palate is rich, full and  complex with a savoury sweet spice. A lovely finish.

Nine Popes GSM 2015

Aromas of red fruits, vanilla and a touch of dried herbs and white pepper. Palate is sweet red fruits, smokey and a big hit of spicy pepper on the finish. A series wine that needs some cellaring.m very good.

Mother Vine

Mother Vine is a wine bar located on Vardon Avenue in Adelaide. It is the sort of place that you come across on your travels and you wish you had at home. As well as an excellent wine list they also offer food in the form of small plates. They also offer the Motherboard, a selection of charcuteries, cheeses, marinated olives, pickles, spiced nuts and sourdough bread. Easily enough for two, this was an absolute delight and a perfect accompaniment to the wines we had.

Giant Steps Yarra Valley Chardonnay Victoria 2017

A natural wine,  low intervention, hand picked, wild yeasts and minimal filtration. Lemon citrus with lovely texture, crisp and clean. There are some very nice toasty notes with hints of almond. the finish is lingering citrus. Very nice.

Goon Tycoons Smokey Gun Chenin Blanc Margaret River WA 2017

Single vineyard Chenin Blanc which has been 100% barrel fermented. Apricot, peach, lemon citrus. Palate is medium with good texture and noticeable minerality. The finish is peach and a lovely lingering lemon acidity. Very nice.

Rusden Driftsand GSM Barossa 2016

Inky with a little maturity at the rim. Strawberry, raspberry and sweet plummy fruit. Palate is silky smooth with red fruits, chocolate, coffee and vanilla. Very nice

S.C. Pannell Basso Garnacha McLaren Vale South Australia 2017

Bright cherry red in appearance. Aromas of red cherry and warm spice. the palate has bags of red cherry, raspberry. There is a gentle nuttiness which is delicate and refined. this is highly fruity, drinkable wine with a serious side. The finish is incredibly long. Excellent.

Rusden Christines Vineyard Grenache Barossa 2016

Red/garnet in colour. Cherry and raspberry with a smokey, savoury core. Medium bodied, this wine has serious depth with warm spices while maintaining a youthful drinkability. Developing well in the glass, an excellent example of Barossa old vine Grenache.