South Australia always shines, but the Barossa Valley is beaming.
Wine has been a way of life in the Barossa since 1842. Barossa incorporates both Barossa Valley and Eden Valley, making it one of the only areas in Australia to have neighbouring warm and cool climate growing conditions.
There are some 750 grape growing families, many sixth generation, supplying quality grapes to more than 170 wine companies of all shapes and sizes. The best wines of the Barossa sit comfortably alongside the great wines of the world.
Barossa Shiraz and Eden Valley Riesling have led the way as regional heroes, with Cabernet Sauvignon, Mataro, Grenache, Viognier, Semillon and Tawny all contributing to the Barossa’s standing as one of the world’s great wine regions. With such a diversity of growing conditions and soil types across both valleys, and vineyards that have been tended by hand for many generations, you are bound to find a wine to call your own.
One of Australia’s oldest food and wine regions, the Barossa is criss-cut with more than 150 wineries. Some, like the heritage vines at Penfolds and Henschke, have been fruiting since the late 1800s. But Barossa is not all about history; the region also bursts with new butcheries, bakeries, breweries, cideries, creameries, and cooking schools such as Mark McNamara’s latest Food Luddite Kitchen.
Check out this video tour below. I personally didn’t like the music, so I muted it. However, the video is beautiful and gives you a good idea of what to expect at the wineries.
South Australia Wine Tours – McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, Adelaide Hills
Travelers can ramble between standbys like Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop and recently opened accommodations ranging from the Ikara Safari tents in the Flinders Mountains to the gorgeous Japanese villas attached to the Sticky Rice Cooking School in the Adelaide Hills. Be sure to save time for Adelaide, too.
The bounty of Barossa will fill your plate; a bourgeoning small bar scene fuels the night; and the Minima Art Hotel has 46 rooms, each transformed by a different South Australian artist.
