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.
Marsanne is a white grape variety that originated in Montélimar in the Drôme, several centuries ago. Marsanne is also found in Cassis, Savoie, Languedoc-Roussillon and Saint-Péray in the Ardèche, where it produces remarkable sparkling wines. The warm, sunny climate of the Rhone Valley, Languedoc-Roussillon and Provence, as well as the dry, stony soil, are ideal conditions for its development. Its bunches are quite large and provide small, juicy berries that are sensitive to grey rot and strong winds. These two grape varieties complement each other perfectly: together they give light wines with little acidity, aromas of yellow fruit, white fruit and flowers with notes of honey and liquorice. This is for example what the appellations Saint-Péray, Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, Saint-Joseph, Côtes-du-Vallée du Rhône, Corbières, or Cassis express... which represent about 700 hectares.
white wines from the region of Barossa go well with generally quite well with dishes of rich fish (salmon, tuna etc), shellfish or sweet desserts such as recipes of marmite dieppoise, brochette of scallops and prawns or birthday cake.
