The Ultimate Guide to Barossa Wine
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THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO BAROSSA WINE Discover what makes the Barossa’s old vines and classic wines such a staple of the Australian wine community. CONTENTS – The history of Barossa – Geography, climate and soil – Viticulture and winemaking – Old vines – Prominent varieties Cover: Troy Kalleske, Kalleske, Barossa AUSTRALIA NORTHERN TERRITORY QUEENSLAND WESTERN AUSTRALIA SOUTH AUSTRALIA NEW SOUTH WALES VICTORIA BA RO SS A 0 500 SOUTH TASMANIA Kilometres AUSTRALIA BaRO SS a NEW SOUTH WALES V a LL EY EDEN ADELAIDE V a LL EY The ultimate guide to Barossa wine VICTORIA BAROSSA: HISTORY AND Encompassing Barossa Valley and Eden Valley, Barossa is one of EVOLUTION Australia’s most historic and prominent wine regions. - Rich history dating back to 1840s - Community includes long- established wine families and younger artisan and boutique producers - Diversity of soils, climate and topography - Some of the world’s oldest grapevines - Strong culinary culture and gourmet local produce BAROSSA: HISTORY AND EVOLUTION Tradition meets innovation The undulating Barossa region is one of More than 170 wineries are dotted the most historic wine-producing areas in throughout the beautiful rolling hills and Australia. Located roughly 70 kilometres valleys of Barossa. The area is reputed for its north-east of Adelaide, the capital city dynamic wine community, which includes of South Australia, it is also one of the long-established names as well as younger country’s most prominent and celebrated artisan and boutique producers. Barossa’s regions, showcasing the history, evolution wine community is complemented by a and revolution of Australian wine. It strong culinary culture and local gourmet encompasses the Barossa Valley and produce, which reflects the area’s European Eden Valley regions. heritage. A rich heritage Diversity of wine styles Barossa has a rich vine and wine history Barossa has both warm-climate and cool- dating back to the early 1840s and is home climate growing conditions and a diverse to fifth- and sixth-generation grape-growing range of soils. This makes it ideal for families. Silesian farmers settled in the region producing a wide variety of wines, from seeking a fresh start and by the 1890s, powerful, full-bodied reds and rich fortifieds dozens of wineries had been established to the most delicate of white wines. Shiraz, including Oscar Seppelt’s Seppeltsfield, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Mataro, Johann Gramp’s Orlando, Samuel Smith’s Riesling and Semillon are some popular Yalumba, William Salter’s Saltram and varieties with a long history in Barossa. Johann Henschke’s Henschke Wines. The ultimate guide to Barossa wine Old vines Many would claim the region’s star DID YOU KNOW performers to be Barossa Valley Shiraz and Barossa is also famous for its food Eden Valley Riesling. Barossa is home to culture and gourmet attractions. some of the oldest continuously growing Foodies can taste the best of Barossa Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mataro, at farmers’ markets, local food trails Grenache and Riesling vines in the world, and the Barossa Valley farm shop and dating back to the 1840s. eatery of Australian food celebrity and proud local Maggie Beer. The ultimate guide to Barossa wine THE HISTORY OF BAROSSA: 1840s A VIBRANT PAST –1850s Barossa is first developed by the British. AND BRIGHT Soon after, Silesian Lutheran immigrants arrive and give the region a German FUTURE flavour. Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Mataro, Semillon and Riesling vines are planted. Late Late 1830s 1800s Shortly after the establishment –1960s of South Australia, Barossa is identified as a fertile area Barossa steadily grows, well suited to agriculture and becoming a specialist in viticulture. fortified wines to satisfy consumer tastes. 1970s –1980s 2009 Barossa wines diversify as The Barossa Old Vine consumer tastes evolve. Charter, which aims to They soon gain a global recognise and preserve old reputation, heralding a vines, is launched. golden era for the region. 2010s Late Early 1990s–2000s –TO DAY Traditional Barossa varieties have Intense, concentrated and heavily oaked wines been joined by a new wave of become the fashion, and Barossa Shiraz, Mediterranean varieties, as well as Grenache and red blends are in high demand. a new breed of grapegrowers and winemakers exploring innovative techniques. The ultimate guide to Barossa wine THE HISTORY OF BAROSSA: A was perfectly suited to vines, so he sent the VIBRANT PAST AND BRIGHT FUTURE message back to Germany to send cuttings Pre-1830s of Riesling. Englishman Joseph Gilbert The traditional custodians of Barossa are planted Riesling vines at his Pewsey Vale the Peramangk, Ngadjuri and Kaurna winery in Eden Valley in 1847 – the first grape people. Aboriginal people occupied these vines planted in the region. lands for thousands of years before Late 1800s to 1960s European settlement. Barossa steadily grew and developed, with Late 1830s Seppeltsfield becoming the largest winery in Not long after the establishment of the the Southern Hemisphere at the time. While colony (now the state) of South Australia in the region’s fine wines were renowned in 1836, German mineralogist Johannes Menge Australia, they were yet to make their mark identified what was to become Barossa on the world stage. As Australians were as a fertile area well suited to agriculture mainly drinking fortified wines, Barossa, and viticulture, and reported this back to like many other regions, had become a his London-based employer, the South specialist at producing these styles. Australian Company. Through strict quarantine restrictions and 1840s and 1850s the introduction of a formal phylloxera act The Barossa was first developed for by the state government in 1899, the pest agriculture and viticulture after European never made its way into South Australia. settlement by the British. Soon after, Silesian 1970s to 1980s Lutheran immigrants, who were escaping As wine tastes evolved in Australia and religious persecution in their homeland of around the world, so too did the wines Prussia, gave the region a distinctly German produced in Barossa. Initially it was white flavour. wines like Riesling and Chardonnay that Central to this development were two men: consumers turned to but, over time, people George Fife Angas, the largest landowner also grew to enjoy red wines such as Shiraz in the Barossa Valley and chairman of the and Cabernet Sauvignon. South Australian Company, and Lutheran A turning point toward red wine update Pastor August Kavel, who was pivotal in began when Colin Gramp (direct encouraging many Silesian farmers and descendant of Johann Gramp) visited tradespeople to resettle in Barossa. Shiraz, Napa Valley in the mid-1940s, where he Cabernet Sauvignon, Mataro, Grenache, observed modern winemaking techniques. Semillon and Riesling vines, many of which Upon his return, he was motivated to make are still producing fruit today, were planted the first dry red table wine in Barossa since during this time. the 1860s. Some of the oldest wineries in Australia It wasn’t long before Barossa started to gain were established in Barossa Valley and Eden a global reputation for vibrant, fruit-forward Valley in the 1840s and 1850s. English brewer wines of exceptional quality. This heralded Samuel Smith sailed to Australia in 1847 with the start of a golden era for the region and his wife and children, and after working for for fine Australian wine. George Fife Angas for a time, he bought Late 1990s to early 2000s land from him and planted the first Yalumba Intense, concentrated and heavily oaked vineyard in 1849. wines became the fashion and Shiraz, Similarly, Johann Gramp, a farmer from Grenache and red blends from Barossa were Bavaria, arrived in Barossa Valley in 1847 soon in high demand. and settled on the banks of Jacob’s Creek. He, like Samuel Smith and many of the other settlers, noticed that Barossa Valley The ultimate guide to Barossa wine 2009 FUN FACT The Barossa Old Vine Charter, which aims to recognise and preserve old vines, was THE SPELLING OF ‘BAROSSA’ launched. CAME ABOUT THROUGH 2010s to today ERROR. COLONEL WILLIAM In recent years, traditional styles have been LIGHT, SURVEYOR-GENERAL joined by a new wave of Mediterranean varieties, suited to Barossa’s soils and OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA AND climates. The region has also been THE MAN WHO DECIDED THE invigorated by a new breed of grape growers SITE OF ADELAIDE, NAMED and winemakers who have challenged the status quo while maintaining an inherent THE REGION AFTER THE love and respect for Barossa traditions and BARROSA RIDGE IN SPAIN culture. WHERE HE FOUGHT DURING THE PENINSULA WAR. AN ADMINISTRATIVE MISTAKE SAW ITS SPELLING CHANGED TO ‘BAROSSA’, WHICH IS HOW IT IS KNOWN TO THIS DAY. The ultimate guide to Barossa wine GEOGRAPHY, CLIMATE AND SOIL: DRIVEN BY DIVERSITY Barossa is classified geographically as a zone encompassing: - Barossa Valley region - Eden Valley region - High Eden sub-region GEOGRAPHY, CLIMATE AND SOIL: High Eden sub-region: DRIVEN BY DIVERSITY Located in Eden Valley, High Eden is a Barossa is located approximately 70 small sub-region with hilly terrain and cool kilometres north-east of Adelaide in South temperatures. Harvesting can occur here Australia. Under the Australian Geographical up to one month later than in other Eden Indication (GI) system, Barossa was officially Valley vineyards. classified as a ‘zone’ in 1997. It encompasses two regions and one sub-region: Barossa Valley region: DID YOU KNOW With gentle rolling hills and valleys, the In Australia, as in other countries, world-renowned Barossa Valley is a geographical indications (GI) define remarkably picturesque warm-climate designated wine regions such as region. Barossa. An 85% rule applies in Eden Valley region: Australia, which means wine labelled A premium cool-climate region, Eden Valley as Barossa must contain at least is characterised by its rugged beauty and 85% Barossa fruit. This upholds varied topography.