Barossa is one of the six wine-producing zones of SouthAustralia, and arguably the most recognized name in the Australian wine industry. Barossa wines have attracted more international awards than any other region in the country.
It is divided into two sections: the western Barossa Valley (effectively the Warmer valley floor) and on the eastern side the cooler, higher altitude Eden Valley, both of which have a distinct Geographical Indication (GI) formalized in 1997. Grapegrowing conditions vary immensely across the wider Barossa zone and this is reflected in the markedly different wine styles produced here.
Shiraz accounted for 56 percent of all plantings in the Barossa zone in 2017, focused on the Barossa Valley floor. Barossa Shiraz has traditionally been made in an intense, Powerful, expression, and is arguably Australia's most famous wine style. Riesling is particularly prominent in the Eden Valley, and can also reach quality levels comparable to any other global region.
Other very high quality Barossa wines are produced from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Semillon and Viognier.
Additionally, GSM-style blends have earned high acclaim, as Grenache and Mourvedre (also known as Mataro in the region) perform extremely well in Barossa's warm and DryClimate. Recently the zone has also been a hotbed of experimentation, with NewVine varieties such as Tempranillo and Zinfandel making their mark on local and international markets.
The Barossa zone lies northeast of Adelaide Hills and is a compact geographical unit with a variable landscape of gently elevated terrain and flat valley floors. The overall climate is hard to categorize as conditions vary – not only due to the elevation but also because of the inland locations and the coastal influence.
Cabernet Franc is one of the oldest red grape varieties in Bordeaux. The Libourne region is its terroir where it develops best. The terroirs of Saint-Emilion and Fronsac allow it to mature and develop its best range of aromas. It is also the majority in many blends. The very famous Château Cheval Blanc, for example, uses 60% Cabernet Franc. The wines produced with Cabernet Franc are medium in colour with fine tannins and subtle aromas of small red fruits and spices. When blended with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, it brings complexity and a bouquet of aromas to the wine. It produces fruity wines that can be drunk quite quickly, but whose great vintages can be kept for a long time. It is an earlier grape variety than Cabernet Sauvignon, which means that it is planted as far north as the Loire Valley. In Anjou, it is also used to make sweet rosé wines. Cabernet Franc is now used in some twenty countries in Europe and throughout the world.
red wines from the region of Barossa go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, lamb or game (deer, venison) such as recipes of beef with dark beer, purple leg of lamb with red wine and cranberries or stuffed duck or goose neck.
On the nose in the region of Barossa often reveals types of flavors of cherry, game or tomatoes and sometimes also flavors of red plum, minerality or stone. In the mouth in the region of Barossa is a powerful with a nice balance between acidity and tannins.
Penfolds has announced it is to launch its second rare wine NFT with direct-to-consumer wines and spirits NFT platform BlockBar. The second rare release will comprise limited edition NFTs tied to 300 bottles of Penfolds Magill Cellar 3 Cabernet Shiraz from the 2018 vintage. Crafted under the watchful eye of chief winemaker Peter Gago, recipient of the Decanter Hall of Fame award last year, the wines will not be available from retail, nor Penfolds Cellar Doors. The release coincides with BlockBar ...
Many wine styles can seem perplexing at first: imagine the first bottle of Barolo if you only know Barossa Shiraz, or the first bottle of Jura Savagnin if you were brought up on California Chardonnay. With time, thought and repeated tasting, though, comes understanding. You learn each wine’s syntax and lexicon, its hints and inferences. You grasp the ways in which each style communicates. Its beauty dawns, then grows. Rosé wine sales grew 23% worldwide between 2002 and 2019. Its fuel has come fr ...
Old vines from Western Australia’s Swan Valley will be protected in the soon-to-be launched Swan Valley Old Vine Charter (OVC). More than 20 wineries from this historic region, a 30-minute drive from the state capital of Perth, are participating. The programme will see grapevines from 35 to 125 years of age registered and preserved. Participating wineries include Talijancich Wines, Nikola Estate, John Kosovich Wines, Mandoon Estate and Sandalford Wines. While the vines are predominantly Shiraz, ...
