Homing in on the Barossa Famous for stellar cellar doors and top drops, the Barossa Valley also boasts an abundance of farm-fresh fare, restful retreats and a laid-back welcome, right on Adelaide’s doorstep. WORDS SIMON THOMSEN PHOTOGRAPHY John LAURIE Bethany Wines, Tanunda JULY 2013 QANTAS 53 FORAGinG barOssa valley Top row, from left: Apex Bakery, Prue and Stephen Henschke, Bethany Wines; middle row: Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop, Henschke Hill, Blond Coffee; bottom row: Hentley Farm Restaurant (two images), Casa Carboni Italian Cooking School MID SO MANY FAMOUS NAMES, from Maggie Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop old-school bakery produces ABeer to Peter Lehmann, the Barossa, a one-hour drive north-east of 50 Pheasant Farm Road (off Samuel excellent pies and pasties from Adelaide, is really just a big country family that sweeps visitors up Road), Nuriootpa. (08) 8562 4477. recipes dating back to the 1800s, as in its arms and adopts them. It’s home to Australia’s oldest family- maggiebeer.com.au well as sourdough breads and cakes. owned winery ( Yalumba) and iconic wines such as Penfolds Grange, The doyenne of Australian cooking’s Hill of Grace, Bethany, Jacob’s Creek and Greenock Creek, declared former restaurant is now a produce DRINK Australia’s number-one winery by US wine critic Robert Parker. store and cafe. While many of her Tscharke Wines Migrants from Prussia moved to the region in the early 1800s and products are familiar, there’s a great 376 Seppeltsfield Road, their love of food and wine, architecture and tradition live on in range of farm shop-only seasonal Marananga. Tanunda, Nuriootpa and historic Angaston. While famous for shiraz, produce, plus daily cooking (08) 8562 4922. tscharke.com.au the Barossa produces excellent Rhône-style grenache blends and demonstrations at 2pm. Grab a Passionate and youthful sixth- superb rieslings from the adjacent Eden Valley. There are more than picnic basket ($15-$20) and glass generation winemaker Damien 70 cellar doors among 150 wineries to explore. or bottle of Pheasant Farm wine Tscharke is part of a new breed The week-long Barossa Vintage Festival (odd-numbered years and enjoy it overlooking the lake. exploring less familiar during harvest time around Easter) is a great time to visit. Just after Mediterranean varieties such as harvest, when winemakers are up for a chat, is also excellent if you Blond Coffee graciano, touriga, Montepulciano want to meet the talented people behind the bottles. Take your time. 60 Murray Street, Angaston. and savagnin. His wife Eva’s pottery Relax. Don’t be surprised if a brief winery visit turns into an entire (08) 8564 3444. blondcoffee.com.au is also on sale. A guesthouse is afternoon of conversation and tastings. Great coffee and cooked breakfast planned for September. (until 3pm) sets you up for a day of EAT Hentley Farm tastings. Lunch is familiar fare such Château Tanunda Ferment Asian Restaurant as a club or steak sandwich, salami 9 Basedow Road, Tanunda. 90 Murray Street, Tanunda. Gerald Roberts & Jenke Roads, panini and toasties for the kids. (08) 8563 3888. (08) 8563 0765. Seppeltsfield. (08) 8562 8427. chateautanunda.com fermentasian.com.au hentleyfarm.com.au Nosh Owner John Geber spent the past Tuoi Do’s grilled wagyu beef in The restored stables at this winery 32a Murray Street, Tanunda. 15 years restoring the bluestone betel leaves, local Berkshire pork are pleasant rustic surrounds for (08) 8563 1097. glory of this 1890s grande dame. belly with ginger and orange sauce, vibrant modern cooking by facebook.com/NoshBarossa He’s added a cricket pitch, croquet and massaman curry of Barossa prodigal Barossa son Lachlan A quirky, eclectically styled cafe at lawn and even bought the Barossa chicken are just a few reasons why Colwill, formerly of Adelaide’s the back of a shop. The blackboard Wine Train. While not hip, the her lively Vietnamese restaurant in The Manse. Choose between the menu includes flatbread with wines show remarkable class; the a heritage sandstone building is a four-course du jour ($80) or bechamel, bacon, egg and rocket 2005 Everest Shiraz was named must. Another is that sommelier roughly seven-course Discovery for breakfast, and saltbush lamb best in the world in 2010. Steeped Grant Dickson has an extraordinary ($155) options, which can be sausage rolls for lunch. in history, this majestic place holds international wine list, from matched with Hentley Farm wines. monthly long-table lunches and Rockford back vintages to It’s adventurous, bravura cooking, Apex Bakery also hosts the Barossa Small Burgundy’s best. Fancy a 1966 from Smoky Bay oysters with 1a Elizabeth Street, Tanunda. Winemakers Centre, a collection Château La Croix du Casse? passionfruit juice to shaved raw (08) 8563 2483. apexbakery.com.au of 20-odd wineries that staff their You’re in the right place. squid with leek, linseed and sorrel. The 1920s wood-fired oven at this tasting desk on weekends. 54 QANTAS july 2013 BAROSSA VALLEY FORAGinG onLine Hentley Farm Restaurant; WhiLE Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop (right) YOU’RE IN the state Check out Kangaroo Island Pindarie Parma’s famed Academia Barilla. and the Clare Valley at qantas.com/travelinsider 946 Rosedale Road, Tanunda. His heart followed an Aussie (wife (08) 8524 9019. pindarie.com.au Fiona) which led to this store, cafe, This picturesque property offers enoteca (wine shop) and cooking sweeping views across the lower school. Drop by for a platter of valley from the verandah of the cheese, olives and cured meats converted grain room next to midweek; sign up for classes to heritage stables. Tony Brooks is a make gnocchi or dishes from sixth-gen Barossan, who’s spent Carboni’s birthplace in Emilia two decades restoring the family Romagna; or nab a spot at the farm. A gourmet pie under the bountiful Sunday lunch for the pepper tree is a perfect match with confit lamb belly with hazelnut the Black Hinge Reserve Shiraz. crust and celery salad. SEE & DO Penfolds Barossa Farmers Grange Tasting Artisans of Barossa Murray Street Market 30 Tanunda Road, Nuriootpa. Light Pass & Magnolia Roads, Vineyards Vintners Sheds, Nuriootpa (08) 8568 8408. penfolds.com Vine Vale. (08) 8563 3935. Murray Street, Greenock. (08) & Stockwell Roads, Angaston. Start at the top with a 60-minute artisansofbarossa.com 8562 8373. murraystreet.com.au 0402 026 882. Grange tasting ($150, including a Penfolds’ former chief winemaker, A bunch of blokes at the tasting barossafarmersmarket.com $100 voucher, perhaps to spend on John Duval, and his eponymous table, enjoying the fruits of their You’ll see all your new Barossa the 100-point-rated 2008 vintage). wines are at this breezy cellar door labours, invite you to join them. It’s friends here, along with Saskia Or test your inner Max Schubert in and cafe alongside several small local hospitality at its best. One is Beer’s pork products, free-range the winemaker’s lab, where you’ll winemakers, including Teusner and Andrew Seppelt, yes, of that family, fowl and Jan Angas’ Hutton Vale blend grenache, mourvèdre and Spinifex. Former Appellation chef who opened MSV in 2001 and lamb. Grab a market burger and, in shiraz to make a wine in Penfolds Mark McNamara provides daily honours his heritage with a shiraz/ harvest season, look out for Taste Bin 138 style. Then take it home in tasting plates, perhaps spiced pork mataro blend named “Benno”. Eden’s federweisser, a floral, spritzy, a personalised bottle ($65). rillettes or Barossa Valley cheeses, Smart, contemporary wines. semi-fermented white wine. as well as a convivial Sunday $95 Saturdays 7.30am-11.30am. Henschke Hill long-table lunch, where the David Franz of Grace Tour winemakers speak of their wines. Lot 43 Stelzer Road, Tanunda. Barossa Daimler Tours Henschke Road, Keyneton. (08) 8563 0705. david-franz.com (08) 8524 9047. (08) 8564 8223. henschke.com.au Taste Eden Valley Peter and Margaret Lehmann’s son, barossadaimlertours.com.au Six Henschke generations have 6 Washington Street, Angaston. David, tried to escape his destiny Feel like royalty in John Baldwin’s made wine in the Barossa. Be a part (08) 8564 2435. and become a graphic artist. It walnut and leather-clad vintage of that history with a two-hour VIP tasteedenvalley.com.au shows in the label design of his Daimler (formerly used by the SA tour through Hill of Grace, which Rieslings from Eden Valley – a delicious wines. Visiting here is a governor and visiting royals) as he includes a guided tasting of 10 lesser-known Barossa corner – rival no-frills affair and it’s all the better chauffeurs you around the valley. premium wines (minimum two/ the Clare for complexity and style. for it – there’s no fancy cellar door, maximum six people, $220pp). Try wine by the 13 small producers, you’ll stand beside the packing Casa Carboni Italian including Gill Radford’s impressive table and printing machine as Franz Cooking School Seppeltsfield riesling, at this Angaston cottage, shows you his finest, especially the 67 Murray Street, Angaston. port tasting which is their tasting room. You Larrikin, a non-vintage blend of 0415 157 669. casacarboni.com.au Seppeltsfield Road, Seppeltsfield. can make a tasting platter from grenache, cabernet, shiraz and Italian-born chef Matteo Carboni (08) 8568 6217. seppeltsfield.com.au local produce and there are jars of mataro. Call before you arrive; knows a bit about pasta, thanks to In 1878, Benno Seppelt decided to olives and olive oil to take home. visits are by appointment only. his nonna, Pia, and five years at lay down his finest port to be 56 QANTAS july 2013 overlooking the river.