Steeped in winemaking history, the Barossa Valley is home to some of Australia’s most renowned wineries and vineyards. Located northeast of Adelaide in South Australia, the storied region was planted by English and German settlers and boasts remarkable old vines dating back to the 1840s.
“Community is very much at the heart of this region, and it is the combination of community spirit, old-world vines and generational family grape growers that really makes it special for me,” says Con Simos, Research and Development Manager at Casella Family Brands, Australia’s largest family-owned wine company.
Winemaker’s paradise
He says: “It’s blessed with diverse terroir, including eight major types of soil, a range of altitudes and some of Australia’s oldest vines.” Embracing both warm-climate and cool-climate growing conditions and a diverse range of soils “makes it ideal for producing a wide variety of wines, from powerful, full-bodied reds to elegant white wines. The Barossa Valley is a winemaker’s paradise!”
Those rich, full-bodied wines are Shiraz, for which the region has garnered a prodigious reputation around the globe. “The age of its Shiraz vines adds a layer of heritage and depth, contributing to their distinctive character and longevity,” says Simos. He also notes that the Eden Valley sub-region produces phenomenal Riesling. Cooler temperatures in this elevated locale contribute to the crafting of vibrant, aromatic Rieslings with a unique expression of the terroir.
Sensational Shiraz
But it’s the world-class Shiraz that continue to grab the headlines. Peter Lehmann’s Stonewell, for instance, stands alongside Penfolds and Henschke as pillars of excellence in the Barossa Valley. “Red wines like the revered Penfolds Grange and Henschke Hill of Grace highlight the depth, complexity and age-worthiness that have made Barossa wines legendary on the global stage,” says Simos.
First up of Simos’ favourite Barossa pours is one of the names under the Casella Family Brands umbrella, the 2017 Peter Lehmann Stonewell Shiraz. “The secret to Stonewell Shiraz is the outstanding quality of what our founder, Peter Lehmann, refers to as ‘little black jewels’ – grapes drawn exclusively from low-yielding vineyards that produce sparse bunches with tiny, but intensely flavoured fruit,” he notes.
Cool class
Simos suggests the 2017 vintage will be remembered for its exceptional elegance and purity of fruit. “The palate is rich with fine, pure tannins – an abundance of blueberry, violet, earth and clove. Long and blue-fruited, it demonstrates a cool vintage in the Barossa while retaining stereotypical fruit ripeness and intensity.” He adds: “The oak is seamlessly integrated, almost imperceptible.”
Stonewell Shiraz is an ideal pairing for rich meat dishes like roast beef, he proffers, and is equally enjoyable alongside cheeses such as Parmigiano Reggiano, aged Cheddar and Grana Padano.
Another recommendation is 2018 Penfolds St Henri, which has seductive dark fruit and sweet plum aromas with dark chocolate and graphite. He hails its “inky and sinuous palate with plentiful ripe blackberry and mulberry, fine chalky tannins, superb mid-palate viscosity and underlying chinotto and roasted walnut notes”.
Rounding off his top three most-desired tipples is Henschke 2021 Tappa Pass. A resplendent dark crimson with violet hues in the glass, its fragrant nose opens to ripe plum, black cherry, blueberry, rose petal, anise and mace, with hints of black pepper, cedar, sage and charcuterie. “The palate is rich, plush and complex with blue fruit, mulberry, violets and plum, balanced by layers of fine velvety tannins delivering great depth and length,” he praises.