I’ve been spending a lot of time in the Barossa of late so I thought it was about time I put together my research on this iconic region.
History
The Barossa is probably the most world renowned wine region in Australia and is synonymous with Australia’s signature grape…Shiraz. But the history of this region has incredible depth and boasts some of the oldest vines in the world (even older than the Old World!)
The indigenous history of this land stretches back to the dawn of recorded time, traditionally the lands of the Peramangk, Ngadjuri and Kaurna people, who have made this land their spiritual and physical home for tens of thousands of years.
However, the history of the Barossa wine region dates back to the 1800s, 1842 to be exact, originally settled by the British but emigrants from Prussia soon followed and gave the region a distinctly German feel. There are even some people who still speak the local dialect Barossa Deutche!
FUN FACT: The Barossa was named in 1837 in memory of the Battle of Barrosa; a major Napoleonic War battle. The name ‘Barossa’ was registered due to a clerical error transcribing the name ‘Barrosa’.
Barossa Wine School
You cannot talk about the history of Barossa without talking about the people. The Barossa has the longest unbroken lineage of winemaking and grape growing families in the country, some entering their seventh generation and the ‘first founders’ take great pride in their heritage. Everyone knows everyone in the Barossa!
Barossa’s other claim to fame is the fact that this region has some of, if not the oldest vines in the world that still actually produce wine. One of the good things Australia has from being so very far away is that it has extremely strict controls on agricultural produce entering the country and this worked to its advantage in the 1800s when the rest of the world was plagued by phylloxera (a tiny insect that infects and destroys vine roots) that saw colossal damage to the European wine industry. A sad story repeated in wine regions around the world….but not in South Australia. A miracle really and one vineyard managers fight hard to protect – you are not allowed to walk amongst the vines here, for example.
The Barossa is full of stories but one of the best I’ve heard so far is from Langmeil, who coincidently are the custodians of the world’s oldest surviving Shiraz vines (Freedom 1843 Shiraz Vineyard)…gnarly, nobbled old things that produce a wine of serious intensity. But it’s their Orphan Bank wine that’s my favourite, a vineyard that nearly met it’s end when a developer threatened to bulldoze it. But ever the innovators Langemil called on their neighours, friends and loyal customers who ‘adopted’ each one of the 320 old vines to fund their move and these orphan vines are still protected today.
Geography
The Barossa actually incorporates two sub regions – the Barossa Valley, a lower altitude warmer, Mediterranean climate famed for its robust reds, and the Eden Valley, a higher altitude, cooler climate which produces some outstanding crisp white wines and elegant reds. It’s the only wine region in the world to have both a warm and cool climate in the same region.
The Wine
The Barossa is home to some of Australia’s most premium and sought after wines including Penfolds Grange and Henschke Hill of Grace. A bottle of Grange today retails around $750 (£425)!
Today the Barossa has over 180 wineries and is home to over 40 grape varieties. While Shiraz is certainly the prominent variety, Riesling from the Eden Valley also plays a key role along with Grenache, Semillon, Mataro and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Some of the most significant wineries in the region include:
- Henschke – the family have been handcrafting exceptional wines for over 150 years
- Penfolds – home of the iconic Penfolds Grange, one of Australia’s most collectible wines
- Yalumba – established in 1849 and still independently family owned by the Hill-Smith family.
- Jacob’s Creek and St Hugo – home of the world renowned Jacobs Creek brand and their premium offering at St Hugo
- Seppeltsfield – not just a winery but a village of experiences including the incredible Fino restaurant, plus their taste your birth year experience is certainly a lifetime must
- Château Tanunda – an architectural icon of the region
And a few of my personal favourites so far…
- Alkina – I might be biased (come visit me at the cellar door!) but stunning setting and delicious, elegant wines. Read more here.
- Langmeil – the cosiest of cellar doors with the best Barossa stories plus wines a-plenty, must tries include Sparkling Shiraz, Eden Valley Riesling and of course their old vine Shiraz
- Artisans of the Barossa – a fantastic way to try a number of local producers, these guys represent eight independent family-owned winemakers in one place.
- Eperosa – for an ‘off the beaten track’, authentic experience with fantastic wines.
With so many more still on my to-do list…Rockford, Torbreck, Hentley Farm, St Hallett and David Franz to name a few!
If you want to learn more about the Barossa and it’s wine you can! Click here to join the Barossa Wine School.
And for a handy online tool to help you plan your trip head to this interactive map where you can find all you need to know plus build your own itinerary.
Sources:
- barossawine.com
- wineaustralia.com