Yalumba, Barossa Valley

Last year we visited the Yalumba folks down in Coonawarra and absolutely fell in love with the area and the people. Communication was originally through the Yalumba office in the Barossa Valley who put us direct contact with the wonderful people down in Coonawarra. An area everyone should visit.

With the great service and help received we felt it was mandatory that while visiting the Barossa Valley we pay a visit to the place that helped start it all, and to meet and personally thank the person behind one of the great wine trip Adventures.

Menzies / Yalumba in Coonawarrra

Smith & Hooper in Wrattonbully

With a history that dates back over a hundred and sixty years and being the oldest family winery in Australia there is a lot to learn about Yalumba.
"Founded in 1849 by a British migrant and English brewer, Samuel Smith, who had brought his family to Angaston seeking a new life.
After purchasing a 30-acre parcel of land just beyond the southern-eastern boundary of Angaston, Smith and his son began planting the first vines by moonlight. Samuel named his patch "Yalumba", aboriginal for, "all the land around." Five generations later, in 1985, under the guidance of Robert Hill Smith the success story continues. Click 'here' for an interesting history timeline.

What a great place to visit and have a taste. Not only are there great wines to taste in an amazing historic facility, there are the wonderful people of Yalumba there to to take you on a wonderful tasting journey. The wine lineup is very nice and worthy of a visit even without the amazing facility and wonderful people. We took the time to enjoy a great tasting of Yalumba's fine wines in one o the coolest (wow, great, neat, nice, interesting and comfortable) tasting areas you could visit. The tasting area is in the building that was once Yalumba's Brandy Bond store and reflects the true authenticity and feel of this winery that is over 150 years old.

After we were done (think they caught on to the multiple revisiting) Steve Linder took us on a tour of the facility. This place has some truly neat places hidden in these amazing old buildings. One of the things that stand out is the pride in the history and accomplishments of the company in Steve's words. As we go into places and see things that not too many get to see it is also apharent that Yalumba takes its history and responsibility to it very seriously. The upkeep and the preservation of these amazing facilities takes a significant commitment and everywhere we went it was very well taken care of. Even the conversion of a couple very large old concrete fermenters that are no longer used, into a Yalumba VIP tasting area. Stunning!
We even got to hang out where the Ashes players came to have a tipple on the rest days (not much resting, wink wink). The space is decorated in all sorts of wonderful cricket memorabilia from bats and balls to autographed photos of many of the greats.

Thanks to Steve and the good people at Yalumba for making our visit such a wonderful experience and for taking the time to share what a great place and company Yalumba is. Next time in town maybe a glass with Robert! For the cool place and the lovely wine this place is highly 'recommended' as a place to visit in the Barossa Valley.

Happy Wine Adventures,

Cheers,

WineWalkabout

Kiwi & Koala

Elderton Wines, Barossa Valley South Australia

Old vines get to be old because they are good

While reaching out to wineries in the Barossa Valley on a recent trip, one of the those we connected with was Elderton Wines. What a wonderful connection it turned out to be. Some places have good wine and some places have nice cellar doors. Some will have interesting vineyards and some will have history, even a place to stay perhaps. A few will even have some combination of these things. Very few have most of these things and fewer still have all of them. At Elderton they definitely fit into the later category. One of the wonderful things about the wine industry are the stories. The stories of the evolution of a businesses. Stories of a time when previous generations made tough choices, took big risks or had a vision that others of the time did not have. In every bottle is a potentially wonderful heartwarming story of passion, of hard work or heart break, sometimes dumb luck, sometimes good luck and yes Elderton Wines has all of these and even a couple stories that will tug heavily on your heart strings.

We had arranged to meet at the Cellar Door at 9am and get the day started from there. I walked to the Cellar Door from where I was staying at the Elderton Lodge about 300 meters down the road and found Co-managing Directors, Cameron and Allister Ashmead sitting on the front porch finishing their coffee's of which they immediately offered to get one for me. The Cellar Door manager Tush Steinert was on it, and a great coffee shop quality Cappuccino was soon served up. While enjoying the delicious Cappuccino we chatted and got to know each other a little bit.
You may wonder how with a last name of Ashmead they are running a family winery caller Elderton. Well let me try to tell a long story an shorten it up a bit. The estate vineyard was planted on the property in 1894 was named Elderton. It was successful for about 80 years but was let go derelict in the mid 70s (typical of the area in that time). The family Ashmead with Neal and Lorraine forging the way purchased the distressed property in 1979. It was 1982 before the first wine with the Elderton Label was released. The family business got a shot in the arm in 1993 when they won national acclaim after winning the Jimmy Watson Trophy.
Tragedy struck in 1997 when Neil died tragically at age 50. Lorraine was placed in the role of chief executive and decisions had to be made about the future of Elderton. She could have easily thrown it all in. She didn't! In 2000, Lorraine's eldest son Allister joined Elderton and was followed in 2003 by younger brother Cameron. During this conversation of the history and story of Elderton is when one of the great wine stories was told. The Ashmead boys in an effort to show their love and appreciation of their mum wanted to do something big for her 60th birthday. Mum was not going to have it. She even took a trip from Australia to New York to make sure they could not pull off any surprise. They somehow figured out where she was eating her birthday dinner with a friend at and had a bottle of wine delivered with specific instructions to the restaurant to only open the sent bottle no matter what she ordered. What wine was so special you wonder. They put  together a new label 'Ode To Lorraine' to honour their mum. It was a huge surprise given she had refused to sanction the idea time and again. The thought was beautiful, the execution amazing and a great story. Oh by the way it is also a great wine. Get some! I did!

After a while we drove through the estate vineyard on the way over to the head office and into the wine making facilities where we ran into Richard the wine maker. A tall affable bloke who likes a good laugh and it seems is up for about anything.

Wine Headquarters

After some laughs Richard was back to work as was Cameron and Allister and I continued to look over the facilities. They have a lot of the usual suspects with Stainless steel tanks but also have a series of very cool open top concrete fermenter tanks. While looking at the concrete tanks from the elevated walkways a massive grey spider the size of a Labrador was standing menacingly on it's hind legs on the handrail just behind me, lunging at me with it's vampire fangs. Lucky for me Allister moved me away before I knew what was behind me otherwise it would have been shear panic. I would have thrown my upper body backwards, while my feet continued to stay put, catching on a little too late, resulting in something that makes me look like the victim of a slide tackle pushing me feet first under the gigantic spider with my arms flailing and me screaming like a girl as the beast leaped down and consumed me. Ok perhaps a little dramatic but probably not far from the truth, at least the panic part. Thanks for the calm save Allister.

Wine barrel storage

From the crush, press and tank area we walked alongside the famous Elderton Vineyard which dates back as far as 100 years and past the house where Cameron and Allisters Mum, Lorraine now resides to the barrel warehouse. This is a state of the art insulated temperature controlled facility with approximately 800 barrels stored here.
The Cooperage they use is a local with a ton of history by the name of A.P. Johns. Think a visit may be in order.
The John family began operating as coopers late in the 19th century when Christian Paul John established what was then the Chateau Tanunda Cooperage in 1889. His son, Arthur Paul John (who the business is named after) continued in his father’s trade, establishing the original A.P. John cooperage on the current Chateau Tanunda site where it operated until moving to the current site in Tanunda in 1925. AP John Coopers range of French and American Oak Barrels can be found in the cellars of premium winemakers throughout Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, California and Spain.

The Jimmy Watson Trophy proudly
displayed with other winners.

From the barrel storage building we walked back to the cellar door to taste a selection of Elderton wines. Allister talked and tasted with me through a range of Elderton wines starting with delightful Riesling from their Eden Valley vineyard. This light aromatic drop was the perfect starter. While this vintage is sold out the 2014 is due for release in May 2014. Next up was the Eden Valley 2012 Marsanne Roussanne. This was the first release of this Rhone blend and they hit it out of the park (hit for 6). I tasted through the Eden Valley 2012 Chardonnay, Eden Valley 2011 Shiraz, Elderton Barossa 2010 Zinfandel, Western Ridge Barossa Valley Grenache Carignan, Elderton Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, Elderton Barossa Shiraz 2012 all truly nice wines at very good prices, mostly **** and a couple low *** bottles. Very impressive line up. But wait we were not done, Allister was about to shift into top gear (pun somewhat intended) as he poured the 2010 Barossa Valley Niel Ashmead Grand Tourer. Wow this was a great drop. First released from the 2008 vintage, the Grand Tourer Shiraz is named after and produced in honour of Elderton co-founder, Cameron and Allisters father, Neil Ashmead. Neil was a ‘Barossa Road Warrior’ like none before. Driving tirelessly from city to city with his car loaded with wine, doing tastings and dinners with whoever would listen, and talking up the Barossa. It was his love of  fast cars that made this process a little easier and so the unusual choice for the name of this Shiraz. Great drop.

Tasting with Allister

Next up was the 2009 Ode To Lorraine. The Ode to Lorraine is a blend of the finest barrels of each of the Elderton Estate varietals. The wine making team at Elderton believe this is truly the hidden gem in the Elderton portfolio of premium reds and based on it's *** price I would agree. A fantastic blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Shiraz and 9% Merlot, the 2009 Ode to Lorraine has a deep garnet-purple color and giving generous purple fruit characters, spiciness and generous length. Brilliant (purchased one of these. Loved the story and the wine). The last of the reds to be tasted was the Iconic Command Single Vineyard Shiraz 2009. The vineyard that this wine is made from was planted circa 1894, classed as a centenarian block by the Barossa Old Vine Charter and is one beautiful Shiraz. Allister and Cameron had explained to me that as the current custodians of this rare piece of Barossa Valley viticultural heritage, it is their mission to continue their parents aspirations and expectations and to produce a truly great wine. The Command is an expression of place, and one which the family intends to preserve for generations to come. This is a great wine that delivers in splendid fashion. Well done boys!

Cameron and Allister in the Cellar Door

The tasting finished up with the most delightful 2012 Golden Semillon. This is a wonderfully fruit sweet dessert wine that will have you coming back for more. One well know wine writer from Australia summed it with one word, Yum! I could not agree more Winsor.

Thank you so much to Allister and Cameron for their generosity and sharing of their time and wine. The telling of company history and sharing of wonderful family stories. The use of the wonderful Elderton Lodge which was a perfect base while visiting the Barossa Valley.

Watch the video above. It is great...

A couple of top blokes who have great wine and a lovely cellar door that you need to visit. While you are there say g'day to Tush. Better yet, book you and a few friends to a Master Class Tasting at the Cellar Door and experience some great Australian Wines, let me restate that, some 'truly great wines'.
We highly 'recommend' you do!

Happy Tasting Adventures,

Cheers,

WineWalkabout

Kiwi & Koala

Ran into Cameron and Allister at Adelaide Airport when they were on their way to Asia to meet with distributors and got to say g'day again. Thanks again guys! Cheers!

Wine available on their website for Australian shipping at  http://www.eldertonwines.com.au/
In the USA you can order their wine here http://www.solawines.com/

WineWalkabout 3 days in the Barossa Valley...

Day 3. Barossa Valley South Australia.

Morning came with a melancholy feeling as this was to be our last day in the Barossa. What an amazing couple of days in this fantastic area. Here is  Day 1 and Day 2. Tasting great wines, meeting and chatting with some great people. Quick photo compilation.

While in the area we had made contact with Dell'uva Wines. This was an opportunity to take a look at a brand new, not yet bottled first vintage operation. Who could refuse this wonderful look at the beginnings of hope for the future in the vision of Dell'uva Wines.
Wayne Farquhar is the driving force behind this new venture. Wayne has been connected to the wine industry for many years as owner of Elite Grapevine Nursery, a family run business managed by Wayne, with input from son Connor, daughter Amelia and wife Lisa that started in 1998 when Lisa and Wayne purchased their Barossa SA property “FRILL HILL”.

While the wines are foremost on Wayne's mind as he nears his first bottling it was the move into Grapevine production.at the Elite Nursery that got his roots started. (pun intended) Focusing entirely on producing high quality affordable dormant Grapevine Grafting, Root stock and Green Pots with anew peat cell import from Oslo, was the starting point of this journey.
Wayne is confident that with all the vineyard trials he has observed and participated in for many years all over the world, that he is on to something that will set him apart from the rest. He is also convinced that the slightly unique climate at this corner of the Barossa Valley is also one piece of the exceptional puzzle. He also believes that new world Italian Spanish, Portuguese and French varieties will serve him well by enchanting those that taste them.

Tasting through the barrels of the upcoming bottling was very exciting as Wayne may actually be on to something. The wines tasted were all very nice and drinkable, and yet months away from the bottle. Some of the different varieties were also very exciting. It is with great interest that we await the bottling and get to taste the finished product. There is also the excitement of the coming vintages as vineyard and winemaking get to know each other and process evolves. Look for these first releases in 2014 and get yourself some.

As we headed back to Adelaide we reflected on the last couple days and what an amazing place the Barossa Valley is. With great scenery and with all the small towns and their charms, it just puts a smile on your face. Small towns like Greenock, Nuriootpa, Angaston, Tanunda, Keyneton, Lyndoch, Eden Valley, Williamstown, Truro, Springton and Mt Pleasant. All these towns have that comfortable feeling and all have something to offer. The locals seem to understand and enjoy this with over 100,000 South Australians of the 178,000 Australian visitors a year (2010-2020) but as hard as it is to believe there were only 10,000 annual international visitors. This is a wine and food lovers paradise and with wonderful accommodations everywhere and there is a holiday here that is calling your name. Plan a trip to the Barossa for yourselves and experience first hand the world class wine and food and that Barossa magic. For help planning your trip the Barossa Visitor Information Center is a great resource. Adelaide is well serviced by regular domestic and international flights and once you arrive in Adelaide there are plenty of options to complete your journey to the Barossa. Rental cars, tour operators and public transport are all available. Stay as long as you can but with all there is to see and do, a 5-7 day stay is a recommended must do.

Happy Tasting Adventures,

Cheers,

WineWalkabout

Kiwi & Koala

Oh the things we saw, and the wines we tasted. Check out this Video from our friends at Barossa Dirt for some great photo's.

Thank you to the kind people of the Barossa for the wonderful hospitality and generosity of your time at all the great places we visited this trip.

Chateau Tanunda
Yalumba
Villa Tinto
Elderton Wines
Artisans of the Barossa
Kaesler
Dell'uva Wines

This video sums up this magical place.

Watch You. Me. Barossa

Day 1
Day 2

WineWalkabout 3 days in the Barossa Valley..

Day 2. Barossa Valley South Australia.

As the day broke it was hard to get out of the comfy bed at the Elderton Lodge. After making some Vegemite on toast and coffee, it was time to leave the comfort of the Elderton Lodge and get back to work.
If you missed day one, here it is.

First up this morning was to be Elderton Wines. As luck would have it, or good planning if you may, the Elderton cellar door or tasting room is just a couple hundred meter walk from the lodge. This morning I had the pleasure to meet Cameron and Allister Ashmead at the cellar door and the Award winning Cellar Door Manager Tush Steinert, who was wonderful enough to make us all custom coffee drinks, from espresso to cappuccinos, as we talked on the front verandah and enjoyed the spectacular Barossa morning.

After just a few minutes chatting with Cameron and Allister it became obvious that their pride in what their parents had done and the charter to continue this as a multi-generational business was at the forefront of their thinking. To continue to maintain and improve on the wines of the past drive the day to day decisions, and to leave things better than when they started. What a delightful time we had chatting away. It really is one of the best things about visiting these places is meeting the most wonderful people and hearing their great stories.

After coffee's, Allister took me on a tour of the vineyards and the facilities  where along the way meet winemaker Richard Langford. No wonder that Cameron and Allister speak so highly of him. Aside from his obvious winemaking skill (tasted his work) a nice bloke with a great sense of humor. Once our wanderings were done we came back to the Cellar Door and tasted a significant portion of their wines. Look, do yourself a favor and go by the Elderton Wines Cellar Door and check em out. Better yet, book a Master Class or an Elite Tasting and really get to know the great people and wines that are at Elderton Wines. This is a first class operation and not to be missed. Check out this little video.

After heading back to the Elderton Lodge to make some sandwiches and some coffee, it was off to the next stop.

The next scheduled stop was to visit Artisans of the Barossa. A group of seven individual wineries, with different winemaking styles, representing the breadth and diversity of the Barossa Valley. What a great concept, and how well is it being done? Very well indeed. This was a revelation on what can be accomplished by like minded individuals, looking to leverage their collective wine clout, in an attractive environment that allows each wine makers wine to be showcased, and yet not be in direct competition of their peers. It was a lovely tasting that was mostly handled by the effervescent and delightful Sam, with an assist to the lovely Rose.

The Tasting Room is open from 11am - 6pm seven days a week and has one of the best views in the Barossa. Take one of their special wine maker tastings, the Artisans Perspective or one of the other options that also come with a regional platter. Enjoy the experience's that this great place has to offer. Look it's not just our opinion, they just received the award for best Cellar Door in the Barossa! An amazing achievement given the wonderful experiences we have had at other Cellar Doors in the area.


With some time in the afternoon to visit another Cellar Door it was off to Kaesler Vineyards. This wonderful facility was a great place for a tasting or on most days to sit outside and enjoy the gardens and the wine. The wines poured were very nice with the favourite being the Avignon. It was a favorite not just from a drinking standpoint but also overall probably the best by value. The actual if money was no object was the 2010 Old Vine Shiraz.
"The Kaesler Vineyards were established in 1893. The family, sprung from Silesian pioneers who came to the Barossa Valley in the 1840s, took up 96 acres in 1891. They cleared the scrub and in 1893 planted out the entire holding with Shiraz, Grenache, Mataro (Mourvedre) and White Hermitage vines.
Some of the gnarled dry-grown Shiraz still remains and provides the backbone of the intense wines produced from the sandy loam of this prime viticultural block." Possibly one reason the Old Vine Shiraz drank so beautifully. Nice spot to enjoy an afternoon in a beautiful setting with some exceptional wine.

The next big decision of the day was, where and what, to have for dinner. After assessing the options over a couple of cold Coopers Ales, it was decided to cook for ourselves at the Elderton Lodge and take advantage of the BBQ and the comforts of home. First we went to the Elderton cellar door and purchased a bottle of Greenock Two. A fantastic GSM that would be a perfect compliment to our dinner extravaganza. Next it was off to Steinys in Tanunda to get some cured meats (wow were they great) and then to the local butcher in Nuriootpa for some steak and BBQ sausages. Must compliment the butcher as when asked about the best cuts for our meal instead if suggesting the most expensive he gave us a fair dinkum answer and some bloody good steaks. To get the final ingredients for this feast it was over to the Nuriootpa Foodland for bread cheese and salad (garnish) to complete the meal. Oh my was that the right choice, had not had a good Aussie BBQ in yonks, superb...

As we put an end to the Greenock Two and night had fallen some time earlier it was time to end what was another fantastic day in the Barossa and retire to dreams of vineyards, wine, great food and folks. Day Two was a smashing success.

Happy Tasting Adventures,

Cheers,

WineWalkabout

Kiwi & Koala

3 days in the Barossa Valley.

Day 1. Barossa Valley South Australia.
Adelaide South Australia. Wine Capitol of the world! Yes you read that correctly. We can hear the cries of 'bloody tossers, wankers, no way, you blokes got a few roo's loose in the upper paddock'. You may have a point, but South Australia none the less has one of the most spectacular wine industries of anywhere in the world. Having spent many hours sampling, and lots of drinking South Australian wine, as well as wines from all over the world, South Australia really pretty much has it all.
To refresh you may want to read - Worlds top ten cities to visit. #9

On this particular WineWalkabout Adventure, the destination in South Australia was to be the famous Barossa Valley. You Me Barossa. There are a number of great regions to visit in South Australia and some even have wine. Why did we choose the Barossa Valley and not some where else. With much consternation and using the latest scientific methods it came down to a contact who had helped on a previous visit to the Coonawarra area and happens to work in the Barossa. On our next visit we will focus on one of the other amazing South Australian areas like Clare Valley, McLaren Vale, the Adelaide Hills, the Riverland or perhaps Langhorne Creek. For now we will focus on The Barossa, With more than 80 cellar doors and 150 wineries, where do you start?

On a spectacular spring day of 30deg C with only some scattered decorator clouds in the sky, it was off on what was hoped, would be a fabulous Adventure!

We (left Kiwi at home and replaced with brother) left the eastern suburbs of Adelaide and headed north on National Highway A20 the Sturt Highway and took the Nuriootpa turn off. As we pulled into Nuriootpa it was decided that some nourishment was in order before we got stuck into some wines, and as luck would have it as we made that decision we saw Linke's Bakery and Tea Room and purchased a toaster sandwich and a pasty with sauce. Delicious!

After our feed it was off to one of the Icons of the Barossa, Chateau Tanunda. This is one heck of a majestic facility with a ton of history, and is considered the birthplace of the Barossa wine industry. This is Australia's largest (37,674 square feet) and oldest wine Château. By the mid 1990's this magnificent facility was abandoned and forlorn until in 1998, John Geber chanced upon it, and bought it and embraced the challenge of restoring this magnificent property to its iconic status. The grounds are spectacular as some of the inside displays of  people and things gone by. Château Tanunda has a great series of wines to taste, with diverse styles and a good selection of variety, enough for all types of tastes. We had a wonderful tasting of this nice range of wines with the lovely Brigitte. She filled our heads with interesting facts about each and every wine and was always ready to go to the next taste when we were.

Also managed to get in a tour of the facilities that was organised by Michelle that was quite a treat. The banquet facilities and winery operations as well as the grounds were amazing, and listening to the history of Australia’s largest Château, built in 1890, was very interesting. Even had a chat to their Chef and discussed their recent winning of a catering award. Good stuff! Definitely "recommend" and well worth a stop! Tours can be had daily at about 11am.

Next up was another iconic facility that we had the pleasure of visiting their Coonawarra facility last year. This year it was the Barossa facility of Yalumba. Yalumba is Australia's oldest family owned winery and the Barossa tasting room, or cellar door as they are known in Australia, is in one of the most beautiful facilities you can experience. A lot of time and energy (money to) has gone into beautifying this historic place. For over 160 years and 5 generations the story of Yalumba has been unfolding. With such a nice environment and a lovely roomy tasting area (used to be the brandy bond store) the wine is really the icing on the cake. Good icing! The staff were generous with their time, and just like in Coonawarra, made a wonderful experience even better (thanks Steve).

With a very nice selection by range and style, a wine tasting here is bound to please almost everyone (always one wanker in a group). Can "recommend" without reservation a stop at this fabulous Cellar Door and enjoy some great wine and hospitality in a stunning facility.

With a little time on our hands we decided to try find another place to discover. Something a bit off the beaten track and quite small. After playing spin the map and pick a spot, and after a couple attempts, we decided on a target took off. After enjoying some great Barossa scenery we arrived at Villa Tinto. Albert Di Palma, owner and winemaker, has successfully combined the vigneron background of his mother’s family originating in Rioja, Spain and later in Mendoza, Argentina into some fabulous wine of top quality. Full bodied Mediterranean style reds that engage the drinker are the norm. Had a nice chat with Albert and his wife and would definitely say "good, would go back" for an interesting and unique Barossa experience.

Feeling particularly accomplished with our stops for the day it was time to find our accommodation.

We were lucky enough to get to experience the spacious comfort of the Elderton Lodge in Nuriootpa. This fabulous fully self contained facility is located just a short walk from the cellar door, and very close to shopping and restaurants. Really a perfectly located place to base a trip to the Barossa from or for that matter just a great place for a holiday. With two good sized bedrooms with queen beds and two single beds in a third bedroom this is perfect for some couples or a family.
As we sat back and relaxed, with a lovely glass of Elderton, Greenock one Shiraz, that was provided for us in the lodge, we discussed our dinner options.

As we sipped and enjoyed our wine we contemplated walking to the grocery store and butcher and getting stuff to prepare in the kitchen and cook on the BBQ or go to a restaurant. We settled on the later this evening and ate at the Vine Inn. Decent food at a decent price although we think it may have been pensioner night with 80-90% over 65. Walked back to the Elderton Lodge and settled in for the night, watching telly and finishing that lovely Greenock one Shiraz before retiring to our respective rooms and comfortable beds and to dream of the Adventures to come.

That was a perfect end to a great day exploring the Barossa, seeing some amazing facilities, meeting some wonderful people, and tasting and consuming some inspiring wines. We were consumed. Till tomorrow Barossa!

Happy Adventures,

Cheers,

WineWalkabout

Kiwi & Koala

Day 2
Day 3

WineWalkabout WW Greenock One from Eldertons

This weeks drop comes from the Grenock Creek area of the Barossa Valley South Australia.

Its the Grenock One from Elderton Wines in Nuriootpa. This is the first release of Greenock One, and leaves one wondering how good will this very nice drinking Shiraz be in the future. Shiraz is the number one variety in the Barossa Valley and this is a nicely balanced example. With enchanting Black and purple fruit flavors and nice soft tannin's, this wine drinks nicely. The Grenock One has a medium body, nice fruit and tannin structure with a soft finish, this is a wine to enjoy any time. The oak barrels used are older (second fill) combination of French and American puncheons and the wine lives there for about 15 months.

This wine comes from vines ranging 20 - 35 years of age with low yields, sometimes as low as one tonne per acre.
The vineyard is located in Greenock which is located on the west of the Barossa Valley and was added to the Elderton family vineyards in 2010 and has made a great addition to their portfolio. This 60 acre vineyard has plantings dating back to 1915 and a terroir that has been in demand by many of the Barossa’s elite winemakers.

 

A very nice wine for any occasion, and priced just outside a four star rating unless you buy a case or so, then it comes in at *** and 7+, excellent value / quality. Go get yourself a bottle or two and enjoy.

Happy Tasting Adventures,

Cheers,

WineWalkabout

Kiwi & Koala

Top 5 South Australian wine areas

View from the deck at The Lane in the Adelaide Hills

Kind of a trick headline to get you to read about what we think are five truly amazing places. The operative term here is 'what we think'! Before you all start to campaign for your favorite area (although would be interested to hear about) these are just the places we feel are the top five. You are entitled to your opinion with or without facts.

Keep in mind that all of the following areas are filled with worthy places to go and that we are only exposing the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Just know that there are some really good places to go in each and everyone of these areas, and that all of these areas worth your time to go visit.

In alphabetical order;

Koala spotting at Morialta Reserve Adelaide Hills

Adelaide Hills; The Adelaide Hills region has really come along in recent years. Now while that may sound a little condescending its not meant to be. The Hills have in the last 5-10 years, found the magic and knowledge that allows for consistently good wine. The knowledge of the weather and the terrior and what it takes to get the best out of it. Now some years are always going to be better than others but there are some consistently fabulous wines coming from this region from a number of producers. With its summer months generally dry, with average temperatures considerably cooler than other Australian wine regions and in particular the night time temperatures being cooler than most surrounding wine regions, the wines generally take on elegant cool climate style with wines displaying great finesse and varietal intensity.

 The Adelaide Hills is one of the largest geographical wine regions in Australia, and among the most beautiful to spend your time exploring. The area is also a place where new ideas are tested and some with great success, such as Gruner Veltliner, Blaufrankisch and Zweigelt from Hahndorf Hill are just one example

These are just a few first hand experiences,
Bird in Hand, Hanhdorf Hill, Shaw and Smith, The Lane, Tilbrook Estate, Golding, Protero, K1 by Geoff Hardy, Nepenthe and of course wine and dine at Penfolds Magill Estate. 

God's Hill

The Barossa Valley; The Barossa Valley is one the most recognized of the South Australian wine regions. Located about 70 Km north of Adelaide it has delivered outstanding vintages for over 150 years and covers an area comprising the Barossa Valley and Eden Valley. The Barossa is not just a great wine region as it still is an area full of growers of seasonal produce and makers of specialty foods. The area has one of the oldest regional food histories in Australia and is traced back to the German settlers of the 1840's. Tasting of this food is possible at not only most of the local area restaurants but also from some of the butchers, bakers and cheese makers in the area. There is also what is believed to be the oldest surviving Shiraz vineyard in the world.

Seppeltsfield Winery Est 1851

'Langmeil is home to The Freedom Shiraz, planted in 1843 by vigneron Christian Auricht. Escaping war and persecution in Prussia, Auricht travelled to his new homeland, finding Freedom in the Barossa Valley. His original plantings survive to this day and are some of the oldest and rarest vines in the world. The Barossa is quit unlike any other wine region in Australia or the world for that matter, in that for over 150 years about 750 expert vignerons have blended their knowledge of the land and its climate with modern viticultural practice, creating a partnership with over 50 large and small wineries whose specialist skills have made the most of the high quality fruit.' (from Langmeil website)

The Barossa is not a 'new world' wine region like Chile or the United States, nor is it tied down by old rules and regulations like they have in Europe. The first settlers in the area used their European experience, and for over 150 years, their descendants have adapted it with modern technology, and knowledge to suit the soil and climate of the area. It is this heritage and these partnerships that give The Barossa such a unique identity.

These are some we have visited;
Elderton Wines, Yalumba, Two Hands, God's Hill, 3 Days in the Barossa

Walking along part of The Riesling Trail

Clare Valley; Clare Valley shares the distinction of being one of the oldest regions having been settled in 1840. Settlers from England and Ireland, as well as more diverse places such as Poland and Silesia moved into the region during the 1840's, producing a rich heritage of architecture and villages, which remain largely intact to this day. Vineyards were planted alongside those first villages and winemaking has continued ever since. The most important white variety is Riesling, with the Clare Valley regarded as its Australian home.
But that is not the entire story of wines in Clare Valley. The principal red varieties are Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz with a little Merlot. They make a range of styles of varietal wines, reflecting different approaches to winemaking as well as the influences of the various sub-regions and micro-climates in the valleys. Many other varieties are also grown, including Chardonnay, Semillion, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Tempranillo and Grenache.

Vineyards near Skillogalee

The area has a lot to offer for those that visit here like the Riesling Trail. The Clare Valley's reputation for Riesling inspired the naming of the Riesling Trail, which is a recreational trail for walking and cycling. It runs 35 kilometres and connects the townships of Auburn, Leasingham, Watervale, Penwortham, Sevenhill, Clare and White Hut. Having spent some time walking along different sections of the trail at dusk it can be said that it is a wonderful walk. The Clare Valley has many places to eat, from bakeries and such to fine dining restaurants, as well as  more than 40 wineries, and most of them have a cellar door. Drop in for a taste.

These are some we have visited;
Cardinham Estate, Little Red Grape, Skillogalee, Greg Cooley Wines, Chaff Mill Village Apartments

Famous Terra Rossa soil profile at Balnaves

Coonawarra; All wine regions like to think they are unique. The truth is mostly they are, but some are more unique than others. Some just have that certain "Je ne sais quoi". One of these regions that has this more than some of the others, is a place in the south east of South Australia, in an area called the Limestone Coast. The place with all this "Je ne sais quoi"is Coonawarra. Coonawarra is an Aboriginal word meaning "Honeysuckle". It is about 380 km southeast of Adelaide, close to the border with Victoria. Often called Australia’s “other red centre”, its premium red wines have won many awards. What makes this area so special is one of the most famous terroirs in the southern hemisphere if not the world.

It is the combination of a thin layer of unique rich, red top soil (‘terra rossa’ or ‘red earth’) over an ancient limestone mantle encasing a pure, underground aquifer. Add to that a long, cool ripening season for the grapes and you have the makings of a hard won reputation as one of the world's finest wine regions, especially for red wines and, in particular, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. The cigar-shaped strip of 'terra rossa' is finite, approximately 12km long and 2km wide, and is all but taken up by vineyards. More than 24 Coonawarra wineries have cellar doors for your enjoyment. There are some area attractions that are also on the must see list if you are in the area and one of those is  the Naracoorte Caves National Park. This park is South Australia's only World Heritage site. The site was officially recognized in 1994 because of the importance of the fossils in the caves.

The Coonawarra area sits between two great attractions. In the north is the afore mentioned World Heritage Listed Naracoorte Caves, and to the south is Mt Gambier and the beautiful Blue Lake.

Mt Gambier, The Blue Lake

Coonawarra is an area that needs to be experienced and should be on every wine lovers list of places to go.



These are just a few first hand experiences,
Menzies / Yalumba, Smith & Hooper, Balnaves, Pipers, Coonawarra, Naracoorte Caves

lookin south down Sellicks Beach

McLaren Vale; McLaren Vale is a great South Australian wine region, and sports more than 70 cellar doors. The region’s warm days and cool ocean evenings means it produces great Shiraz, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. They also grow and make wine from other varietals that include, Tempranillo, Viognier, Marsanne, Rousanne, Barbera and Sangiovese. It's less than forty five minutes from the city of Adelaide. The wine region is only minutes away from the stunning coastline and beaches that influence so much of the climate and lifestyle. The neighboring townships of Willunga, Aldinga, Port Noarlunga and Sellicks offer visitors some unique experience's rich in history, artisan craftsmanship and culture. Dry sunny weather helps viticulture by producing ripe grapes.

View from the D'Arenberg tasting room

The heat is cooled by breezes off the surrounding ocean, and also the 'Gully Winds' from the Hills. This makes for a smooth ripening season during which time the grapes accumulate the flavor and intensity that make the areas award winning wines. The region is home to some of Australia’s most beautiful, unspoiled beaches and the sunsets are spectacular. There are any number of perfect vantage spots to sit and watch one while sipping a local wine.

These are some we have visited;
Olivers-Taranga, D'Arenberg, Victory Hotel, Chapel Hill, Yangarra, Coriol.

Display at The National Wine Center, Adelaide

Although not a region, and not really fitting in with the title 5, the National Wine Center in Adelaide is also a great place to visit for a number of reasons. It has a great educational display of wine and vineyard information as well as tastings and events that are very very good. National Wine Center. Check em out while your in town.

There are more areas of note in South Australia, but this is a great starting point for a visit to one of the best wine regions in the world. The home of, Football, Meat Pies, Kangaroos and Holden cars. Go ahead and plan your trip, get it booked, and make it as long as you can because there are ton of great things to see, wonderful people to meet, and some fantastic wine and food to be had. We say it's a 'must do'!

But don't just come for the wine there are a million great adventures waiting. Check out this video for a look at just a few.

Happy Tasting Adventures,

Cheers,

WineWalkabout

Kiwi & Koala