Australia & New Zealand | Destination Guides

Setting out to Explore the Barossa Wine Region

Recently updated on January 23rd, 2020 at 01:04 pm

Located within a valley formed by Southern Australia’s North Para River, Barossa draws people in for its thriving wine scene and gastronomy. Home to some of Australia’s best known wine labels, the Barossa wine region is one of the nation’s oldest, producing world class vintages that are exported all over the world. Visiting oenophiles can uncover more of the valley by delving into the heritage of this area, as well as the natural riches that are so ripe for discovery.

Barossa Wine Region

As many as 150 wineries and cellar doors are dotted across the Barossa valley, with many open to the public for tours and tastings. The main route that runs through the valley connects the heritage towns of Nuriootpa, Tanunda, Rowland Flat and Lyndoch, which were settled in the 1800s by European immigrants and still reflect their origin to this day. It’s also within these towns and the surrounding areas that people can discover the seasonal produce and thriving dining scene that has given Barossa its great culinary reputation.

Tanunda is considered one of the valley’s dining destinations, having grown from the small settlement of Langmeil to become a vibrant food hub with artisans selling their produce in butchers, bakeries and cafes, alongside the town’s cellar doors. As Barossa’s commercial centre, meanwhile, the small town of Nuriootpa offers a number of gastronomic spots and wineries for epicureans to step into, including the cellar door of internationally renowned winery Penfolds, which arrived in Barossa in 1911.

Barossa Wine Region

Barossa is also known for its Shiraz vines, some of which were planted as early as 1847. In fact, Barossa encompasses two distinct wine-growing regions – Barossa Valley and Eden Valley – each of which has its own characteristics. Owing to its low altitude, Barossa Valley is warm and dry, creating the ideal conditions for Shiraz grapes, while the higher altitude Eden Valley exhibits a cooler climate that’s best suited to Riesling. Many people say it’s this diversity of growing conditions that has resulted in the Barossa Valley’s success as a premier wine-growing region.

The wineries behind labels that can be found on tables and in wine cellars worldwide, sit alongside family-run outfits amidst the valley’s vines. Big or small, each one of these takes pride in the valley’s heritage, celebrating the identity of the valley today through a series of annual festivals: The Cellar Door Wine Festival in February, followed by Aussie Wine Month in April, and Barossa Gourmet Weekend in August.

Barossa Wine Region

Barossa’s South Australian Company Store sits within Angaston, surrounded by lush vineyards. Championing the region’s many growers, producers and artisanal makers through their culinary offering, the store hosts gastronomic experiences encompassing tastings that showcase the fresh local produce, followed by a hearty meal of local dishes, such as kangaroo and Shiraz pie with native quandongs. Naturally, each dish on the menu is matched to a local wine, giving visitors a true taste of the Barossa Valley’s natural riches.

Visit the South Australian Company Store in the Barossa wine region by joining the Tastes of Southern Australia trip.

Image credits: Cover photo © iStock / Andrey Moisseyev. Merlot grapes in Barossa © iStock / Relu1907. The Barossa Wine Region © iStock / Andrey Moisseyev. Vineyards at sunset in Barossa © iStock / deyangeorgiev.

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