Sunday Special – Barossa Valley, Australia

Okay, who am I kidding? Wine is on my mind and on this a blog. I have inadvertently started  a wine series, LOL. Today we’re off to the Barossa Valley of Australia, located in South Australia, northeast of Adelaide. A friend of mine said he was heading this way so I thought I’d post about it. And as mentioned previously, my girlfriends and I are on the hunt for a wine vacation.

The Barossa Valley has a rather interesting wine history.  One of the oldest wine producing regions in Australia it dates back to the 1840s with mainly German settlers (and some Brits). When the Barossa Valley was settled it was realized that it was an excellent spot for grape growing. It was through trial and error of wine-making that port-style fortified wines became popular. Later into the mid 1900s when Australia’s wine production shifted towards non-fortified wines the area’s wines lost favour and were used mainly in blends. It seems that the the now popular Shiraz varietals were then considered sub-par. To add to the declining shift, various scenarios and circumstances further threatened the wine industry in the area.  During the 1980s, in an effort to bring about change, a number of winemakers (including Peter Lehmann) opened smaller wineries through the region. That is when the Barossa Valley wines (especially Shiraz) really took off.  Today the Barossa Valley is synonymous with quality wine. 

Reaching the Barossa Valley can be a day trip from Adelaide or you can spend several days in the area. Winery tastings and tours are a must. You can also appease your palate with an abundance of food options. Burn all that off with shopping, walking or cycling. It sounds like this area is a must for wine aficionados.