Autumn lingered a little longer this year in the Barossa Valley, my wine tasting companion and I arrived at the beginning of June, the foliage creating a picturesque landscape with lashings of orange and red amongst the vines.
This is my second trip to the Barossa, a region with a worldwide reputation for big reds and an abundance of regional produce - a must for foodies and wine lovers. There are close to 750 grape growing families in the Barossa supplying more than 170 wine companies, wine has been a way of life for the region since 1842.
There are many restaurants and smallholders and a farmers markets every Saturday making it very tempting to indulge in food in between wine tastings. Please read on for an overview of my itinerary and I'm sure you'll be salivating for a glass of wine after reading my tasting notes!
With time to kill before checking in to our accommodation we dropped in to Maggie Beer's Farm Shop, owned by prominent SA Chef Maggie Beer. All Maggie's products are available for tasting so we squeezed in plenty of pâté and quince paste before sitting down for a hearty lunch. There is a tasty veggie pâté made from porcini mushrooms and verjuice if you can't bring yourself to eat duck pâté after seeing all the cute plump ducks waddling around the farm as you drive in. Maggie's farm also showcases daily cooking demonstrations and caters to functions and special occasions.
For lunch we tried the Homemade Duck & Porcini Mushroom Terrine with salad greens and Vino Cotto Vinaigrette and Maggie’s Cabernet Sauce and the soup special - Quail & Chesnut. We matched these with Pheasant Farm Home Block Shiraz and Pheasant Farm Viognier Rousanne. It was all delicious and warming. I was particularly impressed with the Vino Cotto as a salad dressing adding the lightest sweet sour flavour to the fresh greens.
For lunch we tried the Homemade Duck & Porcini Mushroom Terrine with salad greens and Vino Cotto Vinaigrette and Maggie’s Cabernet Sauce and the soup special - Quail & Chesnut. We matched these with Pheasant Farm Home Block Shiraz and Pheasant Farm Viognier Rousanne. It was all delicious and warming. I was particularly impressed with the Vino Cotto as a salad dressing adding the lightest sweet sour flavour to the fresh greens.
Next stop, Turkey Flat to kick off the wine tasting....yes we had wine with lunch but that doesn't really count :). Named after the bush turkeys which previously reigned the area, Turkey Flat had a good selection of wine's on offer. Unfortunately we weren't impressed enough to purchase. I would recommend trying their dry Rosé which would complement a summer BBQ.
Our search for big reds continued to Saltram, which turned out to be a very good choice. We started our tasting with the Mamre Brook range - the Chardonnay scoring top marks from me. We chose to upgrade to a premium tasting of the 2008 No.1 Shiraz, 1859 Barossa Shiraz and the 2010 Molcuta Road Single Vineyard Shiraz. The favourite was by far was the No.1, with a powerful rich palate of cherries and chocolate finish. The tasting fee is refunded when you purchase a bottle and we were lucky enough to also receive their member's discount of 40% after dining in the restaurant. Saltram has an impressive barrel room to admire and is worth a look for keen photographers.
Our search for big reds continued to Saltram, which turned out to be a very good choice. We started our tasting with the Mamre Brook range - the Chardonnay scoring top marks from me. We chose to upgrade to a premium tasting of the 2008 No.1 Shiraz, 1859 Barossa Shiraz and the 2010 Molcuta Road Single Vineyard Shiraz. The favourite was by far was the No.1, with a powerful rich palate of cherries and chocolate finish. The tasting fee is refunded when you purchase a bottle and we were lucky enough to also receive their member's discount of 40% after dining in the restaurant. Saltram has an impressive barrel room to admire and is worth a look for keen photographers.
It was time to check in to the Stonewell Cottages on Stonewell Rd where we stayed in the gorgeous Haven Retreat. There are only two cottages and two retreats on the property spread out amongst the vines and lake. It's very private and a pin code is set up so you don't even need to physically "check in" or see anyone the whole stay. On arrival we were greeted by friendly ducks quacking excitedly at the gate. Of course we couldn't resist and fed them the container of stale bread and pellets in our retreat which said "for ducks breakfast!"
The retreat has a cosy fireplace and stunning spa room - ideal for relaxing with a glass of wine. Breakfast provisions were substantial including Barossa Valley Cheese Company Haloumi, Schulz’s double smoked bacon, Fleming & Ware handmade organic muesli, freshly ground coffee from Barossa Coffee Roasters, eggs and homemade bread. Breakfast is the reason I get out of bed in the morning and I was very keen to cook up a feast the following day. We opted to stay in that evening and utilise the full kitchen to cook the fresh Barossa produce we had picked up that day. Who can resist a toasty fireplace and spa bath!
Day 2 after an excellent night sleep and substantial breakfast we set off to Peter Lehmann. Peter and his wife Margaret are renowned in the Barossa and Australia for their wine making legacy and philanthropy efforts to establish arts and regional development in the Barossa.
The gardens at Peter Lehmann cellar door are gorgeous and you can enjoy them with a picnic lunch amongst the roses. The cellar door is equally impressive, the original stone winery beautifully restored. There are two fireplaces and a long wooden bar and private tasting rooms with plenty of artwork to peruse when wandering through the stone archways.
Choosing where to begin the tasting was a hard task with a number of releases and varietals on offer. For white we tried the Masters series Wigan Riesling and Margaret Semillon. The Semillon is named after Peter's wife as it's her favourite varietal and I'm certain she would love this wine as it is very elegant with a citrus bouquet, slightly waxy with a dry and zesty finish.
Of the reds we walked away with a couple bottles of the 2009 8 songs Shiraz from the same series and made from some of the Barossa's oldest vines 100 years plus. The wine is perfectly velvety from maturation in French oak; it's rich but soft at the same time a good food wine but also enjoyable solo.
From Peter Lehmann we travelled only a few 100 meters down the road to Langmeil, a treasure trove of Cab Sav! Langmeil is another top photography spot with historical wine making equipment on display including a vintage basket press.
I was very impressed with their Cabernet Sauvignon of which we tried three, two from 2009, one corked one screw top - both great wines, but the cork noticeably aged in comparison. We also tried the Shiraz, Mataro, Grenache blend; interesting considering the common combination is GSM. Another winner is the 2010 Valley Floor Shiraz, Langmeil's interpretation of pure Barossa Shiraz with open fermentation, basket pressed and matured in American oak for two years.
We left Langmeil very satisfied but with a chunk missing from our budget. On that note we decided to head to Greenock for a pub lunch and avoid spending too much more. At the Greenock Tavern we had a classic lasange and a chicken schnitzel for lunch complimented with the Barossa Brewing Company's (right next door) organic ale. Very satisfying!
I love Adelaide and surrounds, I am no doubt bias considering my partner is a proud South Australian. If you do make the trip, don't skip out on the city centre - there is much to explore including the famous Central Market and hundreds of top restaurants and wine bars. The Barossa is one of the more well-known regions but I'm also a fan of the McLaren Vale, Adelaide Hills and Clare Valley...all so different it's impossible to choose a favourite. Using Adelaide as your base you can easily hire a car and drive 1-2 hours to any of these fantastic regions and experience some of Australia's best wine!
Cheers
x
Day 2 after an excellent night sleep and substantial breakfast we set off to Peter Lehmann. Peter and his wife Margaret are renowned in the Barossa and Australia for their wine making legacy and philanthropy efforts to establish arts and regional development in the Barossa.
The gardens at Peter Lehmann cellar door are gorgeous and you can enjoy them with a picnic lunch amongst the roses. The cellar door is equally impressive, the original stone winery beautifully restored. There are two fireplaces and a long wooden bar and private tasting rooms with plenty of artwork to peruse when wandering through the stone archways.
Choosing where to begin the tasting was a hard task with a number of releases and varietals on offer. For white we tried the Masters series Wigan Riesling and Margaret Semillon. The Semillon is named after Peter's wife as it's her favourite varietal and I'm certain she would love this wine as it is very elegant with a citrus bouquet, slightly waxy with a dry and zesty finish.
Of the reds we walked away with a couple bottles of the 2009 8 songs Shiraz from the same series and made from some of the Barossa's oldest vines 100 years plus. The wine is perfectly velvety from maturation in French oak; it's rich but soft at the same time a good food wine but also enjoyable solo.
From Peter Lehmann we travelled only a few 100 meters down the road to Langmeil, a treasure trove of Cab Sav! Langmeil is another top photography spot with historical wine making equipment on display including a vintage basket press.
I was very impressed with their Cabernet Sauvignon of which we tried three, two from 2009, one corked one screw top - both great wines, but the cork noticeably aged in comparison. We also tried the Shiraz, Mataro, Grenache blend; interesting considering the common combination is GSM. Another winner is the 2010 Valley Floor Shiraz, Langmeil's interpretation of pure Barossa Shiraz with open fermentation, basket pressed and matured in American oak for two years.
We left Langmeil very satisfied but with a chunk missing from our budget. On that note we decided to head to Greenock for a pub lunch and avoid spending too much more. At the Greenock Tavern we had a classic lasange and a chicken schnitzel for lunch complimented with the Barossa Brewing Company's (right next door) organic ale. Very satisfying!
I love Adelaide and surrounds, I am no doubt bias considering my partner is a proud South Australian. If you do make the trip, don't skip out on the city centre - there is much to explore including the famous Central Market and hundreds of top restaurants and wine bars. The Barossa is one of the more well-known regions but I'm also a fan of the McLaren Vale, Adelaide Hills and Clare Valley...all so different it's impossible to choose a favourite. Using Adelaide as your base you can easily hire a car and drive 1-2 hours to any of these fantastic regions and experience some of Australia's best wine!
Cheers
x
Ahh sounds fantastic... what a lovely trip to the hills :)
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