The Barossa, South Australia

This famous wine region is home to a rich history on proud display, plus some of the planet’s oldest-producing vines.

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Average Ratings & Price By Varietal Barossa Valley
Varietal Name
Av. Rating Av. Price
Sherry
Syrah
Liqueur Port
Tokay
Other Reds
Muscat

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Icon wines and ancient vines

The Barossa is one of Australia’s most famous wine regions, and for a good reason. The area boasts a vinous history dating back almost 180 years and is home to some of the world’s oldest continually producing vines.

Peter Lehmann Winery Barossa Valley

Today, the Barossa is best known for its wine icons (think Penfolds and Henschke) and signature style of shiraz (the bigger and bolder, the better). It is a place where eucalyptus trees grow beside gnarly old vines; Germanic church steeples sit beside bluestone cottages; and where sixth-generation winemakers continue to challenge the status quo.

The Barossa is also a broad term for the many wineries that call this region home, whether their location is in the warm of Tanunda or the cooler heights of the Eden Valley. It’s all a part of the region’s charm, as the diversity of subregions and sites that fall under the Barossa banner only adds to its colourful character.

The Barossa’s wine history

The Barossa pioneers came from two camps. On one hand there was the British gentry, led by George Fife Angas (who gave his name to Angaston), Joseph Gilbert (Pewsey Vale), Samuel Smith (founder of Yalumba) and William Salter (Saltram). On the other side were the Lutherans from Prussia, among them Johann Gramp (Orlando), Joseph Seppelt (Seppeltsfield) and William Jacob (Jacob’s Creek).

The typical Barossa-Deutsch grapegrower worked from dawn until dusk, six days a week, every week of the year. Droughts, floods and bushfires only strengthened their resolve. By the end of the 19th century, a pattern had emerged: shiraz, grenache and mataro accounted for 70 per cent of the Barossa’s total vine plantings. And so red wine became the Barossa’s dominant style.

The Barossa is home to some of the planet’s oldest surviving grape vines – one cluster dates back to 1842. The vines and wineries in the area have overcome floods, fires and phylloxera, so to help preserve these incredibly rare plantings, the Barossa introduced the Old Vine Charter. The vines listed in the charter, often dry-grown and low-yielding, produce concentrated, long-living wines that are in high demand around the world.

One of the oldest legacies of the Barossa is the annual release of Seppeltsfield’s 100 Year Old Para Liqueur. The first puncheon of this tawny was laid down in 1878 and was kept as a true vintage wine, only topped up (by moving to smaller barrels) with the same wine. It was subsequently opened for the first time in 1978 and has been celebrated every year since for its explosive lusciousness, intensity and complexity.

Throughout the years since its first planting, the Barossa has emerged victorious from the impact of both world wars, the Great Depression and the state-funded Vine Pull Scheme (a largely ineffective attempt to remove old, low-yielding vines). According to James Halliday: “The Barossa of today is a bustling wine region, full of confidence about its future, its history and culture proudly displayed wherever you look.”

Climate and soils in the Barossa

The Barossa has a Mediterranean climate. It’s dry with low humidity, relatively low rainfall, and receives a bucketload of sunshine – ideal conditions for full-bodied reds and robust white wines. Contrary to what you might think, the Barossa has only slightly warmer temperatures than Margaret River and Bordeaux.

When it comes to soil type, the Barossa has a complex system of sub-valleys and twisting hills across different elevations, slopes and sites. That means the soils vary widely, ranging from clay loam to sandy soil, and grey to red and brown.

Leading Barossa wine styles

The Barossa may be home to more than 40 different grape varieties, but a small number of favourites make up 97 per cent of the region’s plantings. Of that count, more than 75 per cent are red wine varieties.

Barossa Valley Key Varietals

Shiraz


Barossa is the home of Australian shiraz, so it should come as no surprise that this grape is a favourite of local winemakers. The Barossa has had a lot of time to perfect the art of growing shiraz, as it is has been produced in the area for more than a century. James Halliday says: “The wines are lush, velvety and mouth-filling, with flavours in the spectrum of black cherry to blackberry, the tannins ripe and soft.”

Cabernet sauvignon


James says that Barossa cabernet sauvignon “performs best on cooler sites and in moderately cool vintages”. While Barossa cabernet is not as famous as shiraz from the region, this variety remains resplendent in the signature Barossa style, with rich black fruit, often French oak influence and structure ideal for ageing.

Grenache


The first grenache cuttings came all the way from France in 1844, courtesy of Dr Christopher Rawson Penfold. Since then, grenache has been embraced by Barossa winemakers for its ability to produce high yields in warm climates, and it is celebrated in both single varieties and blends. For James, these styles are “juicily sweet, and the varietal blends display a rich tapestry of flavours and textures”.

Semillon


The first Barossa settlers wasted no time in planting semillon vines, and it has been a vinous love affair ever since. According to James: “Gone are the days of coarse and phenolic skin-contact wine and American oak; in are earlier-picked, steel-fermented wines of real merit, with clear varietal character. Barossa semillon is known for its full-flavoured, toasty and honeyed notes that become apparent with age.”

Chardonnay


Chardonnay is the dominant white variety in the Barossa. It was first planted in the 1960s and then again in the 1980s chardonnay boom. It is a white wine with rich fruit character and great depth.

Riesling 


Generous fruit flavour is a defining character of riesling from the Barossa Valley. It must be noted, however, that use of the broader regional term “Barossa” encompasses the Eden Valley, making the fine print on the back label important for some of Australia’s best rieslings that carry this name.

Things to do in the barossa

The number one activity on any Barossa visitor’s itinerary will undoubtedly revolve around wine, no matter if it is a pit stop at one of the iconic cellar doors or a full day’s wine tour. Rest assured, however, that there are other things to keep you entertained in the region.

If you’d like to stretch your legs, go for a wander up to Mengler’s Hill lookout, located in the Barossa Sculpture Park, for a beautiful view. For those feeling peckish, the Barossa Farmers’ Market happens every Saturday in the farm shed behind Vintners Bar & Grill and offers a maze of market stalls plus delicious local produce.

Barossa Valley Wine Region

For a birds’ eye view of the Barossa, take to the skies in a hot air balloon at sunrise. If you prefer to keep your feet on the ground, walk the Barossa goldfields track.

All quotes and facts in this guide are from James Halliday’s Wine Atlas of Australia.

Facts

Wineries 223
Tasting Notes 12861

Geographic

Latitude 34°29'S
Altitude 250-370 m
Heat Degree Days 1710
Growing Season Rainfall 160 mm
Mean January Temp 21.4°C
Harvest End February to late April

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Barossa Valley Wineries

  • SA
  • The Barossa