Barossa Wine

Barossa is a state famous for its production of Shiraz, the signature grape of Australia, and its Riesling. The name is a bastardization of “The Hill of Roses” (Cerro de las Rosas) in Spain, named by Colonel Light, who fought in the Spanish Peninsula War. It is steeped in German Lutheran heritage, dating back to the 1840’s when many fled from religious persecution to the colony, eventually establishing farms and vineyards. The oldest Shiraz plantings in Australia are located in the Langmeil winery.

Barossa is subdivided into the Barossa Valley and Eden Valley subregions.

Shiraz is where it’s at in the Barossa Valley, with other Rhone grapes produced as varietal releases and GSMs, which are blends of Grenache, Shiraz (Syrah) and Mourvedre, here known as Mataro. Also, taking a cue from the Rhone, some Shiraz releases are blended with a small amount of white Viognier for structure. Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay are the next popular varietals. Recently, more experimental international grapes have been grown to good effect such as Zinfandel, Sangiovese and Tempranillo. The area is a mix of corporate and inexpensive table wines to value driven wines like Jacobs Creek and Yalumba and high quality boutique and cult wines, such as those from Grant Burge and Penfolds.

Eden Valley is best known for its cool-climate Riesling, with vineyards in higher elevations than Barossa. Many of age-worthy examples have been known to come from here. The varied topography also allows for smaller-scale Shiraz production, particularly from Henschke Hill of Grace.