The Wine Blokes

The Barossa Valley is a major wine-producing region and tourist destination of South Australia, located 60 km northeast of Adelaide. It is the valley formed by the North Para River, and the Barossa Valley Way is the main road through the valley, connecting the main towns on the valley floor of Nuriootpa, Tanunda, Rowland Flat and Lyndoch.

History

An overview of the Bethany vineyard, first planted in 1852. Bethany was the first settlement in the Barossa region.

The Barossa Valley takes its name from the Barossa Ranges, which were named by Colonel William Light in 1837. Light chose the name in memory of the British victory over the French in the Battle of Barrosa, in which he fought in 1811. The area is approximately 13 km long by 14 km wide.

The three major towns of the Barossa each have a distinctive personality. Tanunda is generally recognised as the most German of the three with long-standing traditions dating back to the 1840s when the first German settlers arrived in the area. Because many of them came from Prussian Silesia, they called the Barossa Neu-Schlesien, or “New Silesia“. The German influence survives to this day (see Barossa German). Angaston, in contrast, is considered the English town as it was settled predominantly by Cornish miners and others from Britain. The third town, Nuriootpa, was influenced by both the German and British settlers, and today is the commercial hub of the Barossa where most of the larger stores are located.

People

Currently, the Barossa Valley has a population of about 20,000, most of whom live in Tanunda, Nuriootpa, Angaston, Williamstown and Lyndoch, each having over 1000 people, with a few smaller towns such as Moculta and Springton. All of these towns are part of the Barossa local government. Many facilities not available in these towns are usually supplemented in nearby Gawler. In recent years, increased development in the area has seen opposition from the local communities.

The area is also a Lutheran stronghold with many residents identifying themselves as Lutherans. Some towns have more than one Lutheran church. Tanunda, for example, has Langmeil, Tabor, St. Paul’s and St. Johns. Nuriootpa has St. Petri and Holy Trinity. Angaston has Zion and Salem (Penrice).

Each major town also has a Lutheran primary school. Tanunda has Tanunda Lutheran School, Nuriootpa has Redeemer, and Angaston has Good Shepherd. St. Jakobi, the Lutheran primary school at Lyndoch, hosts the Barossa Airshow annually as its fundraiser

Wine industry

Wine grape vines in the Barossa Valley.

The wine industry plays a major role in the Barossa, being the main source of employment for many residents. The many hectares of vineyard are the most distinctive feature of the area, especially when viewed from the Mengler’s Hill lookout positioned on the range of hills that form one side of the valley itself. The success of the wine industry has historically been celebrated every two years (odd numbers) with a week-long Vintage Festival. The festival draws visitors from all over the world and has entertainment for all tastes including a huge street parade, concerts and gourmet dining.

Wineries

For a more comprehensive list, see List of wineries in the Barossa Valley

Among the well known wineries located in the Barossa valley are Grant Burge, Torbreck, Orlando (producers of Jacob’s Creek), Kaesler, Penfolds, Peter Lehmann, Wolf Blass, Rockford, Elderton, Glaetzer, Saltram, Yalumba and Seppelts.

Grape Varieties

The Barossa Valley is primarily known for its red wine, in particular Shiraz (Syrah). Normally large proportions of Barossa Shiraz is used in Penfolds Grange (Australia’s most famous wine). Henschke Hill of Grace is also a Barossa Shiraz. Other main grape varieties grown in the region include Riesling, Semillon, Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon. There are also some fantastic fortified wines traditionally produced in the region.

Terroirs

The soil in the Barossa Valley varies considerably – from deep sandy soils on the sloping areas to sandy loam and heavy red-brown clay soils on the flats.

This area has winter dominant rainfall with high summer evaporation. It is classified as being warm to moderately continental. Very hot weather in February and March can place stress on the vines at the end of the ripening cycle resulting in concentrated flavours.