Barossa Valley Wine Growing Region

The best wines of the Barossa Valley.the oldest in Australia. Hundreds of hectares were
The Barossa Valley in South Australia is Australia'slost during the Vine-Pull of the 1980’s, and
best-known wine region, both nationally andwhat was left was chiefly used to make fortified
internationally. It is located 70km north of Adelaidewines. Old Vine Grenache is highly sought after and
and is South Australia's most visited touristhighly prized.
destination. It was originally named the Barrosa ValleyCabernet Sauvignon
by Colonel Light , after the "Hill of Roses" region inCabernets from the Barossa are strong and rich in
Spain where he fought in the Spanish Peninsula War.flavour and colour. Most winemakers from the
The name Barossa was a corruption due to theBarossa blend this variety with Cabernets from the
general illiteracy of the times. The Barossa Valleycooler regions such as Coonawarra, McLaren Vale and
started developing as a wine centre in the late 1830sEden Valley to add elegance and longevity.
when German Lutherans came to the newly foundedMouvedre
colony of South Australia to escape religiousThis classic French varietal was saved from the Vine
persecution.Pull of the 1980s for much the same reason as the
Australia's oldest vineyard is planted at the LangmeilGrenache - to supply the long-established fortified
Winery in the Barossa, one of the earliest establishedwine industry. Old vine Mourvedre now attracts high
in the region. Well-known wine producers such asprices.
Jacobs Creek, Penfolds, Yalumba, Yaldara, Wolf Blass,Riesling
Seppelts, Peter Lehmann, and Saltram are based inMostBarossa Valley wineries produce a Riesling. The
the Barossa Valley and are among the eighty-plusstyle has strong  passionfruit, tropical fruits and lime
wineries and around five hundred grape growers thatflavours. Citrus and floral characters dominate the
contribute to the wine industry of the region.nose with a refreshing acidity to add texture to this
The climate has hot summers, high sunshine and lowelegant style of wine which ages well if given the
humidity. The soil has a low level of fertility whichopportunity.
tends to produce low yields of high quality grapes.Semillon
The main varieties grown are Shiraz, Grenache,Semillon is often regarded as the king of the
Cabernet Sauvignon, Mouvedre, Merlot, Riesling,Barossan whites. These wines tend to be slightly
Semillon and Chardonnay.oaked to add body, complexity and colour.
ShirazChardonnay
The Barossa Valley is best known for its Shiraz whichThe climatic variations throughout the region mean
is renowned throughout the world as one of thethat full-bodied and full-flavoured wines can be
best. Nearly every Barossa Valley winery produces aproduced from grapes grown on the Barossa Valley
Shiraz or Shiraz blend. They are produced fromfloor or the lower foothills, while the high hill and
Australia’s oldest Shiraz vines, which are lowsouthern end fruit tends to be produced as a crisp
yielding. The style is full bodied, dark in colour, rich inlight bodied style.
dark red fruits with a touch of dark chocolate, a hintFortifieds
of roasted character and sometimes eucalypt as wellPort and Sherry styles dominated the grape-wine
as minty characteristics. The structure is round andindustry before table wines became popular. Most of
velvety, and the wines are almost invariablythese styles of wine are still made by many wineries,
extremely long lived.and the brandy spirit used to fortify them is also
Grenachemade locally.
Like the Shiraz, Barossa Grenache vines are some of